JOHN JOSEPH RAGUCCI was born in Auburn, NY, the only child of Italian immigrants, Mr. and Mrs. Natale Ragucci. John's mother died while he was quite young.

Educated in Auburn schools, John attended St. Aloysius Elementary School and graduated from East High School, where he was a football player. He also attended Bullis Preparatory School in Washington, DC, for one year before entering West Point. Always a New York state booster, John was delighted that West Point was located in New York

In the summer of 1945, just before reporting to USMA, John played softball on an Auburn team that later won the city championship. The championship was determined after John had begun Beast Barracks. Local publicity listing the team toward the end of the season reflected that John had "gone to college." When the championship team was remembered with a feature article more than 40 years later in the Auburn newspaper, the entry for John read, "John Ragucci was a brilliant physics student who once scored a 100 on a state exam, when most all of his fellow students failed the test. John was killed in Korea serving his country."

John diligently applied himself to meeting West Point standards. Academics didn't come easy to him, yet he always comfortably mastered assigned tasks. Called "Rigger" by his classmates, he was an agreeable roommate who got on well with those in his cadet company. He enjoyed feminine companionship, though claimed never to have solved the wiles of females. He looked forward to graduation, and to Army service, and chose Infantry as his branch.

After graduation leave, John reported to the Ground General School at Ft. Riley, KS, as did all newly commissioned RA officers that year, for a course of instruction lasting through to the Christmas holidays. After the holidays, he reported to the Infantry School at Ft. Benning for the Basic Course.

First assignments to the "real" Army were decided in the spring of 1950, before anyone had any inkling of the Korean War. John was assigned as a platoon leader in the 19th Infantry Regiment of the 24th Infantry Division, then on occupation duty in Japan. His unit took part in intense fighting in Korea.

On the day after Christmas in 1950, Rigger wrote what would be his last letter to his family, "Our spirits are high," he wrote, "and we have already accepted the price we shall pay in the coming days. I pray otherwise, but if this should be my last letter to you all, then accept it as the price our generation must pay for our and our ancestor's sins."

The Chinese launched a massive attack on New Year's Eve. They had intended to avoid the Americans with their main assault in this renewed Invasion of South Korea, but miscalculated. One of the major Chinese assaults struck the 3rd Battalion, 19th Infantry. As described by classmate Harry Maihafer, also part of the 24th Division, "Front-line platoons, one led by Rigger Ragucci, fought tenaciously, but finally, a penetration was made, and the 3rd Battalion of the 19th Infantry gave way. At some point during the night, Rigger Ragucci became the latest '49er to die in combat."
Because of the uncertainties regarding participants in the battle, Rigger was declared missing in action. Two years later, he was declared killed in action, as his remains were never recovered.

Back in his hometown of Auburn, a mass was celebrated for John. The Frank Calimeri Veteran's Post placed the colors at the mass because John had been an honorary member of the post. He had given that last full measure of devotion to his country. Well done. Be thou at peace.

Family and classmates