Willard John Friese

Willard John Friese was a German orphan and adopted by the Friese family from Washington, IA. He was an active member of the Saint James Catholic Church. As a young man Friese struggled to learn English. He attended and graduated from Washington High School in class of 1965. He joined the Marine Corps directly out of high school. Friese was described as someone who wanted to give back to his adopted country. PFC Friese was assigned to Company A of the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines. While in Vietnam his unit participated in the 1966 Operation Oregon. During Oregon his squad swept the hamlets of Ap Phu An and Ap Tay Hoang, where they encounter enemy forces. Eleven Marines were killed during the operation including PFC Friese who died on March 21, 1966. The 19-year-old’s body was returned to Iowa and buried at the Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington.