Ronald R. Ellis was born in 1950 in Henderson, Texas. He graduated from high school and was working in construction with his father and older brother when he received his draft letter. He went to Fort Polk for boot camp and AIT before flying out to Vietnam and was assigned to the 11^th Armory Cavalry Regiment. Later, he was assigned to the 5^th of the 46^th 198^th at Chu Lai. After Fire Support Base Mary Ann was attacked, Ronald was transferred to the 1^st of the 46^th of the 196^th Brigade, Charlie Company. He was serving as the RTO for the unit and was behind his lieutenant when they were ambushed on July 4^th 1971 and his lieutenant was killed. He had two R&R's, one to Australia and the other to Bangkok and was promoted to Specialist 4^th Class before being discharged in 1972. When he returned home he worked construction with his dad, building roads and underground construction. Ronald is very active with the Americal Veterans Group and the 196^th. He began attending the Americal Reunion in 1990 and has attended all since and served as the national commander for two years beginning in 2000. He then became the national finance officer of the Americal Veterans Group. He also serves on the Go Texan committee. Although he says he would go back if he had to do it over again, and he has been successful in life, he is unsure whether his time in Vietnam made him more or less successful.