An official website of the United States Government 
Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Photos

Snapshots of what’s happening in the Defense Department.

Sam Ratcliffe, a retired U.S. Army Special Forces major, speaks at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., July 8, 2009, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the deaths of Army Master Sgt. Chester Ovnand and Maj. Dale Buis. Ovnand and Buis were the first two U.S. servicemembers killed in the Vietnam War.

Sam Ratcliffe, a retired U.S. Army Special Forces major, speaks at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., July 8, 2009, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the deaths of Army Master Sgt. Chester Ovnand and Maj. Dale Buis. Ovnand and Buis were the first two U.S. servicemembers killed in the Vietnam War.

Sam Ratcliffe, a retired U.S. Army Special Forces major, speaks at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., July 8, 2009, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the deaths of Army Master Sgt. Chester Ovnand and Maj. Dale Buis. Ovnand and Buis were the first two U.S. servicemembers killed in the Vietnam War.

Photo Gallery