James E Raffensperger Jr

James E. Raffensperger Jr. grew up in Des Moines. He attended Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, East High School, and graduated from Saydel High School in the class of 1965. Raffensperger joined the Army shortly after graduation. Upon completing his infantry trainings he was deployed to South Vietnam in June 1967. He served with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. As an infantryman, SP4 Raffensperger participated in search and destroy operations throughout the Vietnamese countryside. His unit participated in Operation MacArthur in November 1967. During the assault on Hill 823, on November 13, 1967, 22 American soldiers were killed including SP4 Raffensperger. The 20-year-old’s body was returned to Iowa and buried at the Pine Hill Cemetery in the Saylorville Township.