Army PFC Ralph Sasser was born in Brewton, Escambia County, Alabama on May 10, 1930, the son of Hosea S. Sasser (1902-1987) and Lilly Amanda "Mandy" Moody (1904-1980). His parents originally had come from Brewton but had resided in Jay, Florida since 1939. His father supported his family as a farmer of which he had spent in entire life.
His son Ralph attended Jay High School before marrying his wife Joyce on October 2, 1950 in Brewton. He would enlist in the U.S. Army in Brewton in early 1951 and after basic training was sent to Korea where he was assigned to the 17th Infantry Regiment with the 7th Infantry Division. Luckily, Ralph had missed his regiments participation in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir that had cost the American army such horrendous casualties. Where some units were all but wiped out, the 17th Regiment had been able to escape to the coast thus avoiding most of the disaster. The 7th Division was just now returning to the front lines in early 1951 and was engaged in the offensive through Tangyang in South Korea. Ralph joined them around late March as they began to push the Chinese and North Korean forces back toward the 38h parallel. Every hilltop had to be cleared as they steadily fought their way in small but sharp engagements and ambushes. Having only arrived at the war front, it was here that Ralph was struck down and killed in action. His remains were sent to the rear for processing as his regiment moved steadily northward only to add even more young boys to the ever-growing casualty list.
Ralph's body was returned home in October 1951 and buried in the Jay Cemetery where he lies today with this parents and brother Fred.
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