Born August 14, 1930, in Rome, New York, Ralph “Michael” D’Avolio joined the Marine Corps in February 1949, inspired by his uncle, a World War II electronics veteran. Rising from private first class to staff sergeant, D’Avolio trained under officers seasoned from WWII — men he described as “experienced fighters, and they were good.”
In Korea, he fought with the 1st Marine Division during the Iunchon Landing and at the legendary Battle of Chosin Reservoir, enduring temperatures of −32 °F and overwhelming Chinese forces. As a machine-gunner in Able Company, D’Avolio held his position under fire so an artillery unit could withdraw, helping repel hundreds of enemy soldiers — an action that earned him the Bronze Star with Combat V.
Remembering General “Chesty” Puller, D’Avolio said, “He pointed in all directions and said, ‘They’re trapped.’ We weren’t trapped — they were.”
Reflecting on survival, he admitted, “I felt I was indispensable as far as being killed. I didn’t think it’s going to be me. But those bullets were coming close.”
A Marine’s Marine, D’Avolio’s courage and humility live on in the proud legacy of the Chosin Few.
