Stephen Eldon Boots

Stephen E. Boots grew up in Des Moines. He joined the Army and trained as an infantryman. SSGT Boots taught hand-to-hand bayonet training for some time at Fort Benning, GA. He was sent to South Vietnam in September 1970 with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. While returning from a combat mission on January 7, 1971 his unit was ambushed by the enemy. SSGT Boots was 27 years old when he was killed in Southeast Asia.