Lt. Colonel (Ret) Raymond Cecil Schrump, 87, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019 at Pinehurst Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center. Ray was born Jan. 30, 1932 in Tomahawk, to the late Raymond and Ilene Schrump.
Ray enlisted in the U.S. Army in May of 1949 at the age of 17. He served in combat during the Korean War, where he was severely wounded and spent almost a year hospitalized in Japan. In 1958, he received a commission to 2nd Lieutenant of Infantry after attending Officers Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Benning, GA. He also attended Ranger and Airborne courses. During the next five years, he commanded training, rifle and school support companies in the US and overseas before becoming Senior Instructor of ground week of the Airborne School. In 1962, he was promoted to Captain and assigned to the US Special Forces, Fort Bragg, NC, where he commanded both “A” and “B” Special Forces Detachments with the 1st, 3rd, 5th ,6th and 7th Special Forces Groups.
In 1967, after attending Officers Advanced course and Cambodian Language Course, LTC (R) Schrump was promoted to Major and was subsequently assigned to the Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) as a Senior District Advisor assigned to Tay Ninh Province, Southern Vietnam. He arrived in Vietnam in Jan. 1968 and on May 23, 1968, was taken prisoner by the Viet Cong.
After spending 1,727 days in captivity, LTC (R) Schrump was released during Operation Homecoming on Feb. 12, 1973. He was hospitalized for five months to recover from the injuries suffered while he was a prisoner. Shortly after being released from the hospital, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He retired from the Army on Dec. 31, 1973.
LTC (R) Schrump’s international assignments have been in Japan, Korea, Okinawa, Ethiopia and Vietnam.
LTC (R) Schrump’s awards and decorations include: second award of the Silver Star, second award of the Legion of Merit, third award of the Purple Heart, Prisoner of War Medal and second award of the Combat Infantry Badge.
After retirement, LTC (R) Schrump’s owned and operated a small service business in Fayetteville, NC. During the 1970s he became very involved in getting an accounting of personnel still listed as Missing in Action (MIA) from all wars and spoke at the National Republican Convention on behalf of POW/MIAs in 1976.
For the past 28 years, LTC (R) Schrump has worked internationally as a contractor, providing support services for the US and Coalition Forces in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and Afghanistan. Ray completely retired in Feb. 2011 after finishing a seven-year assignment in Kuwait.
Ray is survived by his current wife Jeannie Gambalan Schrump of the Philippines, sons Michael Schrump (Suzette) and their three children, daughter Pamela Schrump-Reyes and her four children, nephew Raymond Schrump II (Tracey) and their two children. He is also survived by his deceased son Gary’s three children, Joshua Schrump (Krissy) and their three children, Joey Schrump and his three children, and Zebulon Schrump.
In addition to his parents, Raymond and Ilene Schrump, Ray was preceded in death by his brother Ronald Schrump, son Gary Schrump and great-granddaughter Khloe Schrump.
A funeral service with full military honors was held on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019 at 11 a.m. at the JFK Memorial Chapel, Zabitosky Rd & Ardennes Street, Fort Bragg, NC 28307.
In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial contributions in Ray’s name to The Green Beret Foundation 14402 Blanco Road, Suite 100, San Antonio, TX 78216 or Rolling Thunder Inc, Chapter 1 NC – PO Box 65325, Fayetteville, NC 28306 www.rollingthunder-nc1.com.
Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines, NC.