Editor’s Note: This is the sixth story in a series of nine honoring the 32 men from Grundy, Hardin, Marshall and Tama counties who perished during the Vietnam War including one man considered as missing-in-action. From Nov. 1, 1955 to April 30, 1975, the conflict raged in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Nearly 3 million servicemen and women served in the Southeast Asia theater – of which 115,000 Iowans served in Vietnam. The war claimed the lives of 58,220 Americans including 868 Iowans. There were an estimated 250,000 South Vietnamese troops killed, according to military sources. As a tribute, the Times-Republican is listing at a minimum – the rank, full name, branch of service, hometown — and if available date of birth, death, age and burial location of those who perished. The information was obtained courtesy of the Central Iowa Vietnam Veterans Involvement Committee archives, findagrave.com and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s “Wall of Faces.” Dan Gannon, a Vietnam combat veteran, provided the Iowa Vietnam War Memorial Directory of Names. Kennan Seda, historian of the Sons of the American Legion Post 73 in Tama, provided biographical details. Additional information was submitted by family and friends. The fifth installment, published May 5, featured five fallen veterans from Marshall County. Today’s installment features five servicemen from Tama County.

Cpl. William Jay Balfour

April 7, 1945-Sept. 21, 1967; age 22-USMC-Toledo

Burial: Crystal Township Cemetery, Garwin

“Balfour was remembered by a neighbor as a tall and handsome man,” according to Seda.

Pfc. Dale Earl Benson

March 19, 1947-Jan. 15, 1967; age 19-Army-Tama

Burial: Oak Hill Cemetery, Tama

Benson attended Iowa State University (ISU), Ames, before entering the service. He is remembered in the school’s Gold Star Hall. “He was in my unit, but I did not know him well. And then he died. A true hero,” wrote Vic Miller on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s Wall of Faces website.

Sp5 Charles William Cook

July 6, 1951-June 28, 1971; age 19-Army-Tama

Burial: IOOF Cemetery, Indianola

“As a member of the 27th Chemical Detachment, I pulled guard duty with ‘Cook’ once a week. What a loss of a great man,” wrote Donald Shaffer on the Wall of Faces website.

T-R photos by Stephanie Bowers —
The flagpole in the Garwin Park was refurbished and rededicated in honor of Stephen C. Hass and Larry A. Dahms. The event took place in July of 2019.

CE3 Larry Albert Dahms

June 6, 1947-Nov. 17, 1970; age 23-Navy-Garwin

Burial: Rose Hill Memorial Gardens Cemetery and Park, Marshalltown

Dahms attended ISU before entering the service. He is remembered in the school’s Gold Star Hall. “Dahms was attempting to repair an antenna and had attached his safety harness to the base. It gave way. Hass fell and was fatally injured.

“I knew Larry pretty well,” wrote Dan Smith of his unit. “He was a lineman. We lived in the same hut and worked together for about two months before his fall. He was great friends with all of the group we worked with and was a wonderful young man. Iowa and his family can be proud.”

Pfc. Stephen Craig Hass

Oct. 16, 1947-June 21, 1967; age 19-Army-Gladbrook

Burial: Maple Hill Cemetery, Gladbrook

“It was emotional going through all of his things,” wrote his niece, Stephanie Bowers, Times-Republican copy editor.

He was such an amazing guy. He loved playing his guitar and the card game pepper. My mother – Stephen’s youngest sibling – was 11-years old when Stephen was killed and said she will never forget the day they learned of his death. The family was eating dinner and saw two servicemen walk past the window up to the door. My grandfather went outside and collapsed and then my grandmother collapsed.”

His sister, Deb Lang, wrote on the Wall of Faces website: “I still miss you. I framed the hand print you gave me for my birthday when you were in Vietnam … love you big brother.”