Charles Cecil Case

Des Moines native Charles C. Case graduated from North High School in the class of 1967. After school he joined the Army and trained to be a combat engineer. He deployed to South Vietnam in December 1968 with the 11th Armored Cavalry. In 1968 the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment's headquarters was located at Blackhorse Base Camp (LZ Blackhorse) in the southern part of South Vietnam east of Saigon in Long Khanh Province. On May 12, 1969 his base came under attack by enemy rocket and artillery fire. While under attack, SP4 Case moved along the breeched perimeter of the base applying suppressive fire to the advancing enemy. Ultimately an enemy soldier threw a fatal satchel charge into SP4 Case’s vehicle. He was awarded two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart for his actions before being killed. His body was recovered and returned to Iowa where it was buried at the Highland Cemetery in Baynard.