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Former Air Force Captain Ralph Galati considers himself a lucky guy.
Last year he received what’s called a “champagne flight,” getting sprayed with a bottle after completing his ceremonial final flight.
“I did it after 51 years,” he says.
Galati first joined the Air Force ROTC while a student at what was then, St. Joe’s College.
When he graduated in 1970, he was commissioned the same day as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force and went right into flight school. He came home for the holidays, got married, then returned to California for more training in F-4 school.
He became equipped to fly the F-4, which is a two-seat jet fighter.
“Did that for six months and then right off to Vietnam,” he says. “I went to the Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand.”
He flew combat missions for about three months.
“I was the backseat of an F-4, weapon systems officer,” he says. “Really fast, Mach 1.5, thousand miles an hour.”
Then, just six days after his daughter was born, Galati had to put his training to the test.
“I was on my 69th combat mission, February 16,1972, when my pilot and I were shot down,” he says. “One of the first missions in North Vietnam since 1968.”
Galati says after he was captured, he thought of two things.
“One was, I just hope to not die, and the other one was I was really upset that my wife was by herself with a brand-new baby,” he says. “I just wanted to do everything right to survive.”
He was imprisoned in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” for 14 months.
“It was hard,” he says. “It was a combination of isolation, solitary and then having roommates and kind of surviving day-to-day.”
He says as time goes on, “it’s just a matter of resistance,” and that captivity proved to be a “developmental” experience for him as a young 24-year-old guy. He and his comrades organized as the 4th Allied POW Wing.
“Our slogan was ‘Return with Honor,'” he says.
He was one of 591 POWs repatriated in 1973 as part of Operation Homecoming.
“I got the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars with Valor, two Purple Hearts, Air Medals, which is for flying a certain amount of combat missions, POW Medal,” he says.
Now, Galati’s story of survival is the subject of a new documentary by American Veterans Media. “The Ralph Galati Story” is premiering at The Teletorium in Mandeville Hall at Saint Joseph’s University on Friday, November 7 at 7 p.m.
“You come back changed, somehow, so recognizing it is hard,” says Galati.
He says he’s hopeful that maybe his words “will help somebody”.
And he’s the Grand Marshal of this year’s Philadelphia Veterans Parade and Festival on November 9, which he says should be “celebratory”.
“Eighteen million service members served, and all the family members, which is more than that, sacrifice,” he says. “Let’s remember them for what they did.”
Galati served another five years of active duty after his 1973 release and had a successful career in business. Since retiring, he has made it his mission to help all veterans get the services and benefits they need.
And every year, we at 6abc are proud to broadcast the Philadelphia Veterans Parade and Festival. Be sure to tune in for our live coverage, starting Sunday, November 9 at noon on 6abc.
For more information:
Philadelphia Veterans Parade and Festival
“The Ralph Galati Story” – American Veterans Media
4th Allied POW Wing