Scope and Contents

Less than a quarter of a linear foot of military documents, a service program, a military payment certificate, and other types of personal documents donated by Ralph Bateman. The personal documents include typed transcripts of the letters he sent his parents during his time in Vietnam as well as stories he wrote about his experiences during his service. The letters date from August 1969 to July 1970. Military documents include Daily Staff Journals for the 4th Battalion 21st Infantry intermittently from September 6, 1969 through July 2, 1970, Battalion After Action Reports for August 1969 through July 1970, and G2 summaries. The service program is from the 11th Infantry Brigade Chapel in Duc Pho from September 28, 1969.

Biographical / Historical

Ralph Bateman was born at Saint Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland in 1947. He was drafted into the US Army in 1969. Bateman was assigned to the Americal (23rd Infantry) Division, 11th Light Infantry Brigade, then the 4th Battalion of the 21st Infantry Regiment, where he served in the 1st Platoon of Delta Company. He was stationed primarily in Southern I Corps near LZ Debbie and south of Duc Pho. Bateman was involved in the Pacification of the hamlet of My Trang under Operation Iron Mountain. He received a Purple Heart, Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and a Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm, among other citations. After his discharge from the Army in 1971, Bateman went on to receive a college degree. He worked for AT&T and IBM as a programmer for over 25 years. Bateman divorced in the 1980s and raised two children as a single parent.