Note: This article was originally published on April 6, 2003. We’re re-posting it now for our Colorado’s Fallen tribute.
Russell B. Rippetoe, a Colorado soldier who traveled 7,000 miles to
fight a war, died not trying to battle but trying to help, his
former neighbors said.
Rippetoe, a 27-year-old Army captain, was one of three soldiers
killed Friday when a car exploded at a special operations
checkpoint in western Iraq, the U.S. Central Command said.
The three soldiers were approaching the car at the checkpoint after
a pregnant woman stepped out of the vehicle and began screaming in
fear, a Central Command statement said.
Then the car exploded, killing the woman, the car’s driver and the
three soldiers.
“He was trying to help somebody,” said Palmer Mason, who along
with her husband, Jim, lived across the cul-de-sac from Rippetoe’s
family in Arvada for 10 years. “He thought somebody needed help.
His whole family is like that.”
Rippetoe followed his father’s footsteps into the military,
eventually becoming an Army Ranger just like his dad, the Masons
said.
Jim Mason recalled Joe Rippetoe pinning a medal on his son’s chest
at a local military function.
“It was like father, like son – very much so,” Mason said.
Retired Ranger Joe Rippetoe and his wife, Rita, just moved to
Washington, D.C., last week from their Arvada home, Mason said.
Mason said the Rippetoe family was community-oriented, and Russell
would often jump into sports games local kids played in the streets
in front of their homes.
“He was just a strong, strong kid,” Mason said.
Russell Rippetoe was especially skilled at soccer, Mason said.
Rippetoe is also survived by a sister, Rebecca.
At Rebecca’s wedding party, Russell danced up a storm, including
doing a break-dance move – tucking his arms into his legs and
spinning on the floor on his back.
“He was out there dancing with everybody,” Palmer Mason recalled
with a smile.
Palmer Mason described Russell as “caring and courageous.”
“He was very proud of what he was doing,” she said.
Rippetoe and the other two soldiers killed were in the 3rd
Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment, based at Fort Benning, Ga.
Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks, Central Command deputy director of
operations, said it was impossible to know whether the woman
willingly took part in the attack.
Rippetoe is the fourth soldier with Colorado ties to be killed in
the war.
1st Sgt. Randy Rehn, 36, who grew up in Longmont, was killed
Thursday in fighting near the international airport in Baghdad, his
family said.
Marine Lance Cpl. Thomas J. Slocum, 22, of Thornton, was killed
March 23 in combat near Nasiriyah.
Marine Cpl. Randal Kent Rosacker, 21, was also killed March 23 at
Nasiriyah. He was born in Alamosa and was buried there Friday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
