John Burdette Ulfers

John Ulfers was born in Chancellor, South Dakota and moved with his family to Sibley where he attended school. After graduation in 1965, he went on to Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis for a time and then returned to Sibley to work in his father’s auto company. A friend remembers spending the summer of 1967 driving fast cars and hanging out at the lake while John waited for the draft to call him. He joined the 1st Air Cavalry and arrived in Vietnam February 14, 1968. The squad he commanded was caught in an intense fire fight with North Vietnamese regulars in the A Shau Valley in November. After heavy losses, SGT Ulfers took over the point and was killed on November 27, 1968 trying to lead D Company to safety. He was buried in the Germantown Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Chancellor, South Dakota.