Colonel Ripley was a Marine advisor in Vietnam. He dropped the bridge at Dong Ha in 1972 Durring the Norths Easter Offensive. The bridge was a main link and major bridge as robust of the photos in the above pictures. It was the bridge on a highway that the Northern Forces were intent upon using to cross in a major offensive. This included a few hundred T-65 type tanks <hardly WWII class, closer to modern and what we would find in the T2K world.>
Ripley was one of two Americans assigned to a S. Vietnamese Bn who has exhausted their ammo but they had been given the order to "Hold and Die!"
Here is an exerp of the Colonels Obituary:
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Retired Marine Col. John Ripley, who was credited with stopping a column of North Vietnamese tanks by blowing up a pair of bridges during the 1972 Easter Offensive of the Vietnam War, died at home at age 69, friends and relatives said Sunday.
Ripley's son, Stephen Ripley, said his father was found at his Annapolis home Saturday after missing a speaking engagement on Friday. The son said the cause of death had not been determined but it appeared his father died in his sleep.
In a videotaped interview with the U.S. Naval Institute for its Americans at War program, Ripley said he and about 600 South Vietnamese were ordered to "hold and die" against 20,000 North Vietnamese soldiers with about 200 tanks.
"I'll never forget that order, 'hold and die'," Ripley said. The only way to stop the enormous force with their tiny force was to destroy the bridge, he said.
"The idea that I would be able to even finish the job before the enemy got me was ludicrous," Ripley said. "When you know you're not going to make it, a wonderful thing happens: You stop being cluttered by the feeling that you're going to save your butt."
Ripley crawled under the bridge under heavy gunfire, rigging 500 pounds of explosives that brought the twins spans down, said John Miller, a former Marine adviser in Vietnam and the author of "The Bridge at Dong Ha," which details the battle.
Miller said the North Vietnamese advance was slowed considerably by Ripley.
"A lot of people think South Vietnam would have gone under in '72 had he not stopped them," Miller said.
Ray Madonna, president of the U.S. Naval Academy's 1962 graduating class, served in Vietnam as a Marine at the same time and said his classmate saved countless U.S. and South Vietnamese troops.
"They would have been wrecked" if the tanks had crossed, Madonna said. He said Ripley also coordinated naval gunfire that stopped the tanks from crossing at a shallower point downstream
>>>>>>>>
So, yes one man can do it. And the enemy were the ones who had the heavier weapons who could provide the supressing fire.
Now, with stealth, a team to do the work instead of one man, and luck, because if its behind enemy lines or in an area thought to be secure then it is possible it can be done.
Here is a link to an interview as well as a few pictures of the two bridges he took out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdpQY_sCL7I
And here is a copy of his citation:
Navy Cross Citation, USMC Captain John W. Ripley, Advisor, 3rd Vietnamese Marine Corps Infantry Bn.
The Navy Cross is awarded to Captain John W. Ripley, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism on 2 April 1972 while serving as the Senior Marine Advisor to the Third Vietnamese Marine Corps Infantry Battalion in the Republic of Vietnam.
Upon receipt of a report that a rapidly moving, mechanized, North Vietnamese army force, estimated at reinforced divisional strength, was attacking south along Route #1, the Third Vietnamese Marine Infantry Battalion was positioned to defend a key village and the surrounding area.
It became imperative that a vital river bridge be destroyed if the overall security of the northern provinces of Military Region One was to be maintained.
Advancing to the bridge to personally supervise this most dangerous but vitally important assignment, Captain Ripley located a large amount of explosives which had been prepositioned there earlier, access to which was blocked by a chain-link fence.
In order to reposition the approximately 500 pounds of explosives, Captain Ripley was obliged to reach up and hand-walk along the beams while his body dangled beneath the bridge.
On five separate occasions, in the face of constant enemy fire, he moved to points along the bridge and, with the aid of another advisor who pushed the explosives to him, securely emplaced them.
He then detonated the charges and destroyed the bridge, thereby stopping the enemy assault.
By his heroic actions and extraordinary courage, Captain Ripley undoubtedly was instrumental in saving an untold number of lives. His inspiring efforts reflected great credit upon himself, the Marine Corps, and the United States Naval Service.
>>>>>>
And again, we it is possible. As was stated many factors do come into play. But, it is possible a small force can do the job quite handily.