John Walter Wall

John Walter Wall of Cedar Rapids was a standout athlete at Prairie High School and graduated in the class of 1963. He then worked for two years with the Iowa Electric Light Company before joining the Marine Corps in September 1965. While serving in Vietnam as a radio telegraph operator, CPL Wall enjoyed taking pictures and videos to pass the time, which he then sent home to be developed. He was also assigned to a program that helped build a school and other facilities in the Thua Thien Province. On April 21, 1967 CPL Wall died from gunshot wounds he suffered to the neck and chest while aiding his wounded captain near Phu Loc. His body was buried at Linwood Cemetery in Cedar Rapids. The athletic field at Prairie High School was named in Wall’s honor.