Harvey Woodford Gilbert

Harvey Woodford Gilbert graduated from Marshalltown High School. As a young man he worked at the local Clifton's Grocery Store. Gilbert was drafted by the Army in September 1965. After completing his infantry training he was sent to South Vietnam in March 1966. PFC Gilbert served with Company C, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry, in the 1st Infantry Division. His unit, along with the rest of the 1st Battalion, participated in Operation El Dorado in the Binh Duong Province. The operation’s objective was to search out and destroy the enemy along the west bank of the Saigon River. On the second day of the mission PFC Gilbert was killed in action. He sustained multiple fragmentation wounds to the head inflicted by enemy forces. Six other American soldiers died on August 13, 1966 during Operation El Dorado. Gilbert was 21 years old and married at the time of his death.