Robert James Comstock

Robert James Comstock was born May 22, 1945 in Grinnell, and moved with his family to the Albia area in December 1946. He graduated from Albia Community High School in the class of 1963. Following graduation, Comstock enlisted in the Army. Initially he was discharged due to an injury he sustained in high school. Later he was readmitted in the Army and completed his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. His first deployment was in Germany for a 13 month tour. After returning from Europe, SGT Comstock was sent to South Vietnam in October 1967. He was serving with the 9th Infantry Division in the Saigon area when he was killed on March 9, 1968. He died from multiple metal fragmentation wounds in which he sustained during a firefight with the enemy while participating in Operation Coronado in the Dinh Tuong Province. The 22-year-old’s remains were returned to Iowa and buried at the Chester Cemetery in Grinnell. Comstock was posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant, awarded the Silver Star, awarded the Bronze Star, and he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal. A few weeks prior to being killed, SGT Comstock wrote a letter home which was published by his hometown paper after his death. A portion of Comstock’s letter reads: “I’m a free American. If I must give my life over here . . . then I feel in the deepest part of my heart that I have not died in vain.”