Lt. jg Gerald Thomas Ramsdell
154-56-9440
USS Barbey (FF-1088)
Not every Ridgewood service casualty is listed on the memorial plaques at Van Neste Square. Gerald Ramsdell did not die in an “official period of war” and therefore is not listed with Ridgewood’s 113 honored war dead. That in no way diminishes his contribution to his country, and his death in 1988 was as great a loss to his family and community as any other premature death.
He was born April 7, 1963 in New York City and moved with his family to live at 111 South Van Dien. He had three sisters and two brothers. The family attended Mount Carmel Catholic Church in the Village.
Ramsdell graduated from Ridgewood High School in 1981 where he served as class president for 2 years. While in high school he was captain of the track team, played soccer, was in the marching band and was a member of the National Honor Society. He was a single-digit handicap golfer.
He continued his studies at Lafayette, was on the varsity cross-country team in the fall of 1981 in his freshman year and was a middle-distance runner on the indoor track and field team in the winter sports season that same year. His fraternity was Zeta Psi and received his degree in chemical engineering in June 1986.
After working briefly at Paine Webber, he decided he wanted to fly so he joined the Navy in 1986. After finishing Officer Candidate School, he was assigned to the USS Barbey during the time the Navy was protecting commercial shipping in the North Arabian Sea.
While aboard he was DJ on the ship and broadcast the evening news. His duty was as a copilot in the Navy SH-2F Lamps Mark I helicopter “Seasnake 17” on routine flight recovery operations.
All three crew members of his aircraft died in a pre-dawn crash November 11, 1988 in the North Arabian Sea while trying to land on the frigate Barbey. Halfway through a planned 90 mission the #1 engine began to lose power so the crew headed back to the Barbey. While attempting to land, the chopper was waived off. On the second attempt the chopper came amidships, rose suddenly to about 125 feet, began to spin clockwise and then pitched into the sea nose down and sank immediately.
No bodies were ever recovered. There is a marker in his memory at Arlington National Cemetery. Ridgewood High School offers an annual memorial trust scholarship fund in his memory, sponsored by his family and friends. At death he was 25 years old.
Courtesy of Chris Stout (#48289027)
154-56-9440
USS Barbey (FF-1088)
Not every Ridgewood service casualty is listed on the memorial plaques at Van Neste Square. Gerald Ramsdell did not die in an “official period of war” and therefore is not listed with Ridgewood’s 113 honored war dead. That in no way diminishes his contribution to his country, and his death in 1988 was as great a loss to his family and community as any other premature death.
He was born April 7, 1963 in New York City and moved with his family to live at 111 South Van Dien. He had three sisters and two brothers. The family attended Mount Carmel Catholic Church in the Village.
Ramsdell graduated from Ridgewood High School in 1981 where he served as class president for 2 years. While in high school he was captain of the track team, played soccer, was in the marching band and was a member of the National Honor Society. He was a single-digit handicap golfer.
He continued his studies at Lafayette, was on the varsity cross-country team in the fall of 1981 in his freshman year and was a middle-distance runner on the indoor track and field team in the winter sports season that same year. His fraternity was Zeta Psi and received his degree in chemical engineering in June 1986.
After working briefly at Paine Webber, he decided he wanted to fly so he joined the Navy in 1986. After finishing Officer Candidate School, he was assigned to the USS Barbey during the time the Navy was protecting commercial shipping in the North Arabian Sea.
While aboard he was DJ on the ship and broadcast the evening news. His duty was as a copilot in the Navy SH-2F Lamps Mark I helicopter “Seasnake 17” on routine flight recovery operations.
All three crew members of his aircraft died in a pre-dawn crash November 11, 1988 in the North Arabian Sea while trying to land on the frigate Barbey. Halfway through a planned 90 mission the #1 engine began to lose power so the crew headed back to the Barbey. While attempting to land, the chopper was waived off. On the second attempt the chopper came amidships, rose suddenly to about 125 feet, began to spin clockwise and then pitched into the sea nose down and sank immediately.
No bodies were ever recovered. There is a marker in his memory at Arlington National Cemetery. Ridgewood High School offers an annual memorial trust scholarship fund in his memory, sponsored by his family and friends. At death he was 25 years old.
Courtesy of Chris Stout (#48289027)
Lt. jg Gerald Thomas Ramsdell
154-56-9440
USS Barbey (FF-1088)
Not every Ridgewood service casualty is listed on the memorial plaques at Van Neste Square. Gerald Ramsdell did not die in an “official period of war” and therefore is not listed with Ridgewood’s 113 honored war dead. That in no way diminishes his contribution to his country, and his death in 1988 was as great a loss to his family and community as any other premature death.
He was born April 7, 1963 in New York City and moved with his family to live at 111 South Van Dien. He had three sisters and two brothers. The family attended Mount Carmel Catholic Church in the Village.
Ramsdell graduated from Ridgewood High School in 1981 where he served as class president for 2 years. While in high school he was captain of the track team, played soccer, was in the marching band and was a member of the National Honor Society. He was a single-digit handicap golfer.
He continued his studies at Lafayette, was on the varsity cross-country team in the fall of 1981 in his freshman year and was a middle-distance runner on the indoor track and field team in the winter sports season that same year. His fraternity was Zeta Psi and received his degree in chemical engineering in June 1986.
After working briefly at Paine Webber, he decided he wanted to fly so he joined the Navy in 1986. After finishing Officer Candidate School, he was assigned to the USS Barbey during the time the Navy was protecting commercial shipping in the North Arabian Sea.
While aboard he was DJ on the ship and broadcast the evening news. His duty was as a copilot in the Navy SH-2F Lamps Mark I helicopter “Seasnake 17” on routine flight recovery operations.
All three crew members of his aircraft died in a pre-dawn crash November 11, 1988 in the North Arabian Sea while trying to land on the frigate Barbey. Halfway through a planned 90 mission the #1 engine began to lose power so the crew headed back to the Barbey. While attempting to land, the chopper was waived off. On the second attempt the chopper came amidships, rose suddenly to about 125 feet, began to spin clockwise and then pitched into the sea nose down and sank immediately.
No bodies were ever recovered. There is a marker in his memory at Arlington National Cemetery. Ridgewood High School offers an annual memorial trust scholarship fund in his memory, sponsored by his family and friends. At death he was 25 years old.
Courtesy of Chris Stout (#48289027)
154-56-9440
USS Barbey (FF-1088)
Not every Ridgewood service casualty is listed on the memorial plaques at Van Neste Square. Gerald Ramsdell did not die in an “official period of war” and therefore is not listed with Ridgewood’s 113 honored war dead. That in no way diminishes his contribution to his country, and his death in 1988 was as great a loss to his family and community as any other premature death.
He was born April 7, 1963 in New York City and moved with his family to live at 111 South Van Dien. He had three sisters and two brothers. The family attended Mount Carmel Catholic Church in the Village.
Ramsdell graduated from Ridgewood High School in 1981 where he served as class president for 2 years. While in high school he was captain of the track team, played soccer, was in the marching band and was a member of the National Honor Society. He was a single-digit handicap golfer.
He continued his studies at Lafayette, was on the varsity cross-country team in the fall of 1981 in his freshman year and was a middle-distance runner on the indoor track and field team in the winter sports season that same year. His fraternity was Zeta Psi and received his degree in chemical engineering in June 1986.
After working briefly at Paine Webber, he decided he wanted to fly so he joined the Navy in 1986. After finishing Officer Candidate School, he was assigned to the USS Barbey during the time the Navy was protecting commercial shipping in the North Arabian Sea.
While aboard he was DJ on the ship and broadcast the evening news. His duty was as a copilot in the Navy SH-2F Lamps Mark I helicopter “Seasnake 17” on routine flight recovery operations.
All three crew members of his aircraft died in a pre-dawn crash November 11, 1988 in the North Arabian Sea while trying to land on the frigate Barbey. Halfway through a planned 90 mission the #1 engine began to lose power so the crew headed back to the Barbey. While attempting to land, the chopper was waived off. On the second attempt the chopper came amidships, rose suddenly to about 125 feet, began to spin clockwise and then pitched into the sea nose down and sank immediately.
No bodies were ever recovered. There is a marker in his memory at Arlington National Cemetery. Ridgewood High School offers an annual memorial trust scholarship fund in his memory, sponsored by his family and friends. At death he was 25 years old.
Courtesy of Chris Stout (#48289027)
Inscription
LTJG, US NAVY
Gravesite Details
US NAVY
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
