Larry Dean Bleeker

Larry Dean Bleeker graduated from Ames High School in the class of 1961. He went on and graduated from Iowa State University in 1966. Bleeker was a religious man; he attended church camps as a child and joined Christian groups during college. Bleeker signed up for the Marine Corps in June 1966 and he completed his training at Quantico, VA. 2LT Bleeker arrived in Vietnam on October 8, 1967; 18 days later he was killed. He was serving as a basic infantry officer with the 3rd Marine Division. The 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines were assaulted along route 561 in South Vietnam when 2LT Bleeker was shot by a sniper’s bullet. The 24-year-old’s body was buried at the Ames Municipal Cemetery.