DENNIS WILLIAM BINGHAM
12 November 1947 - 17 July 1969

Dennis William Bingham, who died while living his dream of service as a U.S. Army Green Beret, is the only Lucas County, Iowa, resident killed in action during the Vietnam War who is buried within its boundaries. He rests on a shaded hillside in the south central portion of the Chariton Cemetery, an incomprehensable distance from Laos, where he was shot to death by hostile forces on 17 July 1969 while assigned to Spike Recon Team Hawaii, Command and Control Central (CCC), MACV Studies & Observation Group (MACVSOG). He was a member of the U.S. Army's 5th Special Forces Group.

The following report was published in The Chariton Leader on Tuesday, 22 July 1969, under the banner headline, "First Vietnam Fatality in County," and the subhead, "Green Beret Is Added to Vietnam Toll."

"A young Green Beret, Spec. 4 Dennis W. Bingham, 21, became Lucas County's first combat fatality when he died Thursday, July 17, on the battle fields of Vietnam.

"Bingham's parents, Mr. and Mrs. S. M. (Bill) Bingham of Rt. 1, Chariton, were notified Saturday the he 'was killed in action while on combat operations when a hostile force was encountered.'

"He was a member of a Green Beret Special Forces operations and intelligence unit in Vietnam and activities in which he was involved are classified information. Army spokesmen told his parents that it would be approximately six months before they could be told the nature of his mission.

"They said that it was known that he had been involved in operations in enemy territory which were to evaluate enemy troops and troop movements. He was based at Kontum headquarters on the Cambodia border 50 miles north of Saigon.

"Bingham was an honor student at Chariton Community High School where he graduated in 1965 a member of the National Honor Society. He attended Centerville Community College for two years where he was on the Dean's list.

"He enlisted in the Army on Feb. 13, 1968, completed Special Forces training and received his beret in Oct. 1968. He underwent training at Ft. Bliss, Fort Gordon, Ft. Benning and Ft. Bragg, before reporting for Vietnam duty on Apr. 22, 1969. He had been in Vietnam for nearly three months.

"Funeral services are pending at Beardsley-Fielding funeral home awaiting arrival of the body.
"In addition to his parents, Bingham is survived by one brother, Michael, three sisters, Brenda, Cindy and Kathy, all at home, his grandmothers, Mrs. C. S. Bingham of Chariton and Mrs. Herbert Stansbery of Williamson and many uncles, aunts and cousins."

Bingham, Dennis William, SP 4