• Hey Guest!
    British Car Forum has been supporting enthusiasts for over 25 years by providing a great place to share our love for British cars. You can support our efforts by upgrading your membership for less than the dues of most car clubs. There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Upgraded members don't see this banner, nor will you see the Google ads that appear on the site.)
Tips
Tips

Mistake or just weird coincidence?

Share this page

Basil

Basil

Administrator
Staff member
Boss
Offline
I was recently in San Diego and had occasion to visit Rosecrans National Cemetery on Point Loma. Of course I took lots of pictures, including the picture of the columbarium where urns w/ ashes are interred. On a whim, I decided to see if I could look up one of the names on the wall of the columbarium to see if I could find any info on the individual. What I discovered is puzzling. Either a weird mistake or a weird coincidence (i.e., someone with the same name, same wife's name, same date of death, etc).

In the picture here, you see the name of Capt William K. Ramstad, born in 1922, died in 2013. Also seen is the name of his wife, Betty A who dies in 2008.

Ramstad-1.jpg

So what's the problem you ask? Well, notice that on the plaque it lists him as a Captain in the USAF. Also note that it lists his areas of service as Korea and Vietnam. Ok so far, until I found this obituary for a William K. Ramstad in a San Diego paper:

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sandiegouniontribune/obituary.aspx?pid=169026018

Now notice the William K. Ramstad in the paper lists his birth year as 1922 - check, year of death 2013 - check, Wife's name Betty Ann - Check (Betty A on the plaque), wife's year of death 2008 - check! So far so good BUT the obit lists his service as being in the US Army and says nothing about Korea or Vietnam. The Obit states he was drafted into the Army and flew B-24s as a Nav in the Eight Army Air Force. (The USAF did not exist until after WWII anyway).

So what do you think - could there be another William K. Ramstad, born 1922 , died 2013 with a wife Betty A who died 2008 interred at Rosecrans National Cemetery who did serve in Korea and Vietnam, or is one or the other (the obit or the plaque) in error, or could there be some other explanation?
 
In the same vein,but different direction,while visiting Tony's
grave at Arlington a few years ago,I noticed a row of headstones,all
had the same date of death.
I later put it together that they were all in a helicopter crash,
while on a rescue mission in the Middle East.

- Doug
 
Must be the same guy.
Most likely the obit is in error or at least not a complete history of the CPT.
obits are expensive, & cost by the word, so brevity might be in order .
( at least in my experience).
Another possibility could be the obit writer might not have had full information, for one reason or another.

However it would be unusual for a fella to remain a captain after 20+ years of service ( say 1944-1966 or so).
Most guys were drummed out after II or after Korea, with normal down sizing.
perhaps he went to Korea &/or VN as a civilian contractor or gov't employee, but not in the service.

even more likely:
he got out of the army air Corp after II.

then re-up'd with the Air Force when Korea got hot......made it a career & was in for VN too..

the plaque would probably only list his last branch of service ( not his first branch)
but the obit would focus on the "Greatest generation" contribution.

That's my final answer.
 
A lot of times the language on the plaque is from the family. I know of a veteran who flew with the 93rd BG on the Ploesti Mission in B-24s and then later with the 308th and 494th BGs in the Pacific, but his headstone says "1505 Base Unit" - which was his last posting before mustering out at Mathur Field after the war. His widow was the one who filled out the application for the headstone that way. So, he has basically an administrative unit on his headstone when his most notable time was with the 93rd, in particular.
 
Discrepancies may be due to one particular fact: most people don't write their own obituary and epitaph.

660151112.jpg


Memento mori

(Just wanted to cheer you guys up a bit ...)
 
Basil said:
My parents are at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, CO.
Click to expand...

My folks are at DFW National cemetery. They were married 64 yrs & died 1 yr apart.
( a miserable yr for Dad too)
Dad made me promise to mix their ashes together.
 
Back
Top