Raymond Ramirez enlisted in the US Army in September of 1964, and completed Basic Training and AIT at Fort Ord, CA. He was stationed at Ft. Bliss, TX, when he was recruited for HHC 1/501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division if he completed Jump School. He joined the 101st in September of 1966, and was in the Geronimo Battalion until his unit was re-designated the 4/503d Infantry and deployed to Viet Nam on 6 June 1966. He was a SGT E-5 in the S-3 Air Section for 6 months in Viet Nam and spent the next 6 months in D/4/503d as a Squad Leader. After leaving Viet Nam in June of 1967, he was assigned to the 1st Armored Division at Fort Hood, TX, for a few months before he left the Army in Sept. of 1967.

Ray worked in public service for about 31 years and retired in 2003 as the Asst. Director of Community Development for the City of Commerce, CA. Ray has been involved in 173d functions since 1986, after attending his 1st reunion at Ft. Benning, GA. He was part of the group that started the Western States Chapter and has served as President of Chapters 10 & 14.

Ray has been devoted to the building of the 173d Airborne Brigade National Memorial since about 2004, when he volunteered as a member of the Memorial Committee and then joined the 173d Airborne Brigade National Memorial Foundation as the VP.