Ronald Perry was born on September 28, 1944, in Gallatin, Tennessee. He entered Officer Training School in November 1966 and was commissioned a 2d Lt at Lackland AFB, Texas, on February 6, 1967. Lt Perry then completed Undergraduate Navigator Training, Electronic Warfare Training, and B-52 Stratofortress Combat Crew Training before being assigned to the 340th Bomb Squadron at Blytheville AFB, Arkansas, in 1969. Capt Perry deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam, in July 1971, and was killed in action during Operation Linebacker II on December 21, 1972. His remains were returned to the U.S. on December 21, 1975, and he was listed as missing in action until being declared dead on January 12, 1976.

His Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor Citation reads:

Captain Ronald D. Perry distinguished himself by heroism while participating in aerial flight as a B-52 Electronics Warfare Officer near Hanoi, North Vietnam, on 20 December 1972. On that date, while engaged in one of the largest conventional bombing raids ever amassed in the recent history of aerial warfare, Captain Perry received significant battle damage to his aircraft as the result of extremely heavy hostile fire. Captain Perry and his crew were targeted against massed supplies, communications equipment, and transportation lines in order to eliminate the aggressor's capacity to initiate an offensive, and , despite receiving heavy battle damage and incurring grave personal danger, Captain Perry and his crew were able to destroy this target even though the loss of their aircraft was imminent. The outstanding heroism and selfless devotion to duty displayed by Captain Perry reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.