Ralph K. Culver, Marine Corps Lawyer and Department of Justice Attorney, Dies. Retired Colonel Ralph K. Culver, who served for three decades as a U.S. Marine was a veteran of three major conflicts, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and finished his service as a judge on the U.S. Navy Court of Military Review, died Jan. 2, 2012, in Virginia Beach, VA after a brief illness surrounded by his family. He was 91 years old. After retiring from the Marine Corps in 1972, Col. Culver served as Deputy Director, Criminal Division, at the Department of Justice where he worked to combat airline hijackings after more than 80 commercial airliners were forcibly diverted from the U.S. to Cuba between 1968 and 1972. Under his supervision, the Justice Department developed new laws, enhanced airport security procedures and law enforcement coordination. These efforts helped to significantly reduce airline hijackings by 1973. He retired in 1980 to San Antonio, Texas. Ralph Kenneth Culver was born Sep. 23, 1920, in Houston to Robert Gazley and Genevieve Evers. He was the great great-grandson of Dr. Thomas J. Gazley, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. He later took the name of his adopted step-father Claude Culver, Jr. He attended the University of Houston in 1941 and following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the Pacific Theater. At the war's end, he attended the South Texas College of Law, and entered private practice shortly before the outbreak of the Korean War. A U.S. Marine reservist, he was activated for duty in Korea after which he elected to make the Marines his career as an officer, including a 1966-1967 tour in Da Nang, South Vietnam, as staff legal officer to the 1st Marine Air Wing. The great depression and three major wars truly make him a member of the "Greatest Generation". He met and married the love of his life, Jeanne (Neill), in Honolulu in 1954. They shared a blessed marriage for 48 years, until her death in 2002. He is survived by his three children: Ann Culver Lively (James), Ralph Neill Culver (Magdalena), John Kenneth Culver (Laura). Also his grandchildren, of whom he was very proud: Eileen Tomasiak, Amanda Popp (both of Helotes, TX), Jacqueline Culver-Lanigan, Stephanie Culver-Villhauer, David Culver, Blake Culver (all of Virginia), Raleigh Hudock of Kill Devil Hills, NC, Kelsey Jaynes-Culver of Kensington, MD, and his 4 great-grandchildren. Condolences may be made to the family at www.hollomon-brown.com.