by Remembering Lt. Bernard Rupinski: Local Sports Star Turned Vietnam War Hero
At just 12 years old, Bernard Francis Rupinski was already making headlines as a member of the Edwardsville Little League All-Star team that clinched the district championship in August 1955.
In high school, Rupinski continued to shine. As a student at West Side Central Catholic High School, he gained a reputation not only as a top athlete—earning a spot on the Catholic League Central Division’s first-team in basketball his senior year in 1961—but also as one of the school’s best dancers. His talents on and off the court made him a standout figure in the community.
Rupinski went on to attend King’s College, where he again impressed as a key player on the college basketball team. But his path soon turned from sports to service.
After graduating, Rupinski joined the U.S. Navy and became a Naval Aviator. He was commissioned as a lieutenant and served as a Flight Intercept Officer aboard the F-4 Phantom fighter jet. During the Vietnam War, he was stationed on the aircraft carrier USS America.
On June 16, 1968, Lt. Rupinski and pilot Lt. Walter E. Wilber were flying a combat air patrol over the Gulf of Tonkin. They were redirected inland to intercept enemy aircraft and encountered hostile MiG-21s over North Vietnam’s Nghe An Province. During the battle, a missile struck their F-4 Phantom, causing the jet to explode and crash. Wilber managed to eject and was captured by enemy forces. Sadly, Rupinski was not seen ejecting and was presumed killed in the crash.
According to the U.S. Defense Department’s POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Rupinski was just 24 years old at the time of his death and had been in Vietnam for a little over a month.
Before his deployment, Rupinski had been living in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with his wife—who was originally from Norway—and their daughter, Michelle.
Nearly four years later, on May 25, 1972, the Defense Department officially classified him as “killed from hostile action,” as reported by the Times Leader Evening News. Intelligence gathered from escaped and released POWs, along with Navy reports, suggested that Rupinski may have ejected from the aircraft, but he was never confirmed to have survived the crash.
Although his remains were never recovered, Rupinski’s name lives on. He is one of 82 Vietnam War casualties from Luzerne County honored on the Vietnam Memorial outside the Luzerne County Courthouse. The memorial was dedicated on February 21, 1988, ensuring that his service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.
