On the recordJune 29, 2010
this weekend, the citizens of Greybull, WY gather to dedicate a monument at the Donald J. Ruhl Memorial Cemetery. This monument is the culmination of the hopes, dreams and hard work of dozens of people in the community. A true American hero was laid to rest in their cemetery, and these committed individuals wanted his memory to be honored forever. Donald served our Nation during World War II as a marine. His bravery and ultimate sacrifice earned him our Nation's most distinguished recognition, the Medal of Honor. Donald J. ``Johnny'' Ruhl, enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on September 12, 1942. Immediately going on active duty, the new recruit used his lifelong experience with firearms to qualify as a sharpshooter, and demonstrated his endurance by becoming a combat swimmer. Following his exemplary performance at boot camp, Private Ruhl volunteered for Parachute Training School. At the conclusion of this 5-week training, Ruhl was promoted to private first class and assigned to further training in New Caledonia. He first saw combat at Bougainville, but it was his actions at Iwo Jima that truly demonstrated his heroism.





