- Date Of Birth: September 30, 1932
- Date Of Death: January 18, 2019
- State: Colorado
Ralph R. Palumbo, MD entered into life September 30, 1932 in New Britain, CT. He entered into his eternal life January 18, 2019 when he gently left his physical body at his home in Denver, CO at the age of 86.
Ralph Palumbo grew up in New Britain as the only child of Raphael Palumbo and Rachel Greco Palumbo. Their small family was happily augmented by aunts, uncles and cousins. He grew up in the neighborhood as part of a wide, loving, not-so-small Italian family. Ralph graduated as Valedictorian from Berlin High School 1950. He was the first member of his family to go to college. One of his high school teachers in particular, recognizing Ralph’s abilities, had fortunately encouraged and guided him to continue his education.
Ralph worked his way through college and medical school, dedicating his summers to earning and saving money for tuition and expenses. As tight end for the University of Maryland Terrapins, he had the honor of playing on the winning side in the 1952 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. Ralph’s Navy career later began during his senior year at Boston University School of Medicine, when he made a life-changing decision he never regretted. Ralph accepted the opportunity to cover his remaining medical school expenses by joining the U.S. Navy. While in medical school he was commissioned as an Ensign, but his only assignment was to study hard and graduate.
After graduating from medical school, Ralph was commissioned as a Lieutenant and was accepted to the Navy’s elite Flight Surgeon program. He was sent to Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida, for flight training. While in Pensacola, he met and married Jean Boitnott, of New Castle, Virginia.
Ralph was subsequently assigned to Carrier Air Group 7 (CVG-7) based at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and deployed with the air group aboard the legendary USS Independence (CVA-62) on its maiden deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in 1960/61.
