Delaware County Vietnam War veteran, prisoner of war shares inspiring story of survival, mentorship
Ralph Galati said it was the support and guidance of his senior officers that helped him survive being a prisoner of war.
WALLINGFORD, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Delaware County resident and Vietnam War veteran Ralph Galati knows what a helping hand looks like.
The U.S. Air Force veteran was shot down in his F-4 Phantom jet during the Vietnam War and became a prisoner of war (POW) in 1972.
He is the second youngest POW on record for that war.
"We were the new era of POWs. There hadn't been any in four years because of the ceasefire, so when I got to Hanoi, most of the POWs had been there for five-plus years," said Galati.
When he began his grueling 14-month stay at the POW camp, Galati said it was the support and guidance of his senior officers that helped him survive.
"When I got out of solitary confinement and we started having roommates, everybody outranked me. I was blessed to be connected with senior military officers, not just in the Air Force, but the Navy and Marine Corps that were senior to me, outranked me, and older than me," he recalled.
"Their life experiences really shaped me. I learned a lot from them in a very intense environment and what life would look like if we were ever a civilian at some point," he added.
Galati was released in 1973 and has dedicated everything in his life since to honoring that sense of brotherhood and helping others.
He uses that passion by reaching out and connecting veterans with the resources they may need, many of them free.
"They would go to any extent to help your fellow guy," said Galati about his fellow POWs. "And they did that to me. They took a risk to send me a message that I wasn't alone."
Galati doesn't consider himself a hero, but that doesn't mean he can't do heroic acts, and helping veterans in a time of need is his definition of what a good mentor can do.
His challenge is to connect them with the resources they need before it's too late.
"My message really is family, friends, churchgoers, we all know a veteran somewhere. And they may be troubled, but we can't let that go unattended. Thank them for their service, and then ask them if they're getting their benefits," said Galati.
"The most well-known veteran support clinic is the VA (Veteran's Affairs) for the healthcare side. For the benefits side, there is a large number that could help with hearing loss and PTSD, but also the death and burial benefits that many can pre-plan and be eligible for free burial," he added.
He also noted that the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic in Philadelphia is a great resource in the area.
For more information about healthcare benefits available to veterans, you can visit https://www.va.gov.
