Richard A. Ovaitt was born in New York City on May 12, 1947, to David and Joan Ovaitt. His home of record is Ramsey, NJ. He had three siblings, Carolyn, Thomas and David. He was a Ramsey High School basketball star. During the 1964-65 season, the six-foot-four Ovaitt was voted to the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League, All State and All County second teams. He shared top scoring honors at Ramsey High School, where he compiled 510 points during his three years on the Varsity Basketball team. He graduated from Ramsey High School and later went on to St. Lawrence College, Canton, NY.

Ovaitt entered the US Army and attained the rank of Warrant Officer (WO). He served with the 101st Airborne Calvary.

Ovaitt was killed in action on August 8, 1968, when a helicopter he was co-piloting caught fire, crashed and burned at Hue, South Vietnam.

Ovaitt’s funeral was held on August 22, 1968, at the First Presbyterian Church in Ramsey, NJ. At the time of his death, his older brother, David, was serving with the US Army in Germany. The Richard A. Ovaitt Memorial Fund was established in his honor.

Sources: Newspaper clippings and NJVVMF.
12/17/2024