Family, friends celebrate Aggie’s life after remains recovered In Vietnam
AUSTIN, Texas (Texas A&M TODAY) – An Aggie who was killed during the Vietnam War was officially welcomed home last week in a celebration that drew hundreds of family and friends, Texas A&M classmates, fellow veterans and supporters from around the country.
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Ronald Forrester ‘69 was 25 when his plane crashed during a combat mission in North Vietnam in December 1972. Forrester, who was serving as the navigator, and the plane’s pilot, Capt. Jim Chipman, were listed as missing in action.
This past December, 51 years after their plane went down, the military announced the remains of both men had been accounted for after DNA testing of teeth and bone fragments recovered during excavations of the crash site.
On Saturday, in a crowded church outside of Austin, the senior boots Forrester wore as a cadet stood in front of the lectern as his loved ones recalled how his determination and a call to service led him from Odessa to Texas A&M University’s Corps of Cadets before being commissioned as an officer into the Marine Corps.
Saturday’s service had a distinct Aggie flavor, with a bit of whooping mixed in with the tears and laughter drawn from recollections of Forrester’s life. The celebration included a Texas A&M color guard, a reading of The Last Corps Trip and the singing of the Aggie War Hymn. Members of the Ross Volunteers conducted a rifle volley, a pair of cadet buglers performed Echo Taps, and The Association of Former Students presented a Texas A&M flag to Forrester’s daughter, Karoni Forrester ‘96, who was 2 years old when her father died.
Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry ‘72 were in attendance.
Karoni Forrester, who has dedicated much of her life to advocating for prisoners of war and those missing in action, said her family’s story offers hope for families grappling with the uncertainty surrounding their missing loved ones.
“We stand with you until it’s your family’s turn,” she said. “It’s going to be your turn.”
The remains of Capt. Ronald W. Forrester ’69, killed during the Vietnam War, were finally accounted for after initially being declared missing in action.
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— The Association of Former Students (@AggieNetwork) January 10, 2024
Forrester acknowledged the many veterans service organizations, government agencies, MIA advocates and supporters who helped in the search for her father. She said the relationships formed over the years brought comfort and lifelong bonds.
“We didn’t walk this path alone. If it weren’t for the love and support of our family and friends, our sad days would have been a lot sadder,” she said.
Forrester said she was especially grateful to the excavation team members who uncovered the pair’s remains, motivating themselves through the intense Vietnam heat by repeating their names.
“On behalf of everyone in this room, thank you for finding my dad,” she said.
