Charles "Chuck" Graham (1948-1968)

GRAHAM, GANDRUP

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 7/7/2025 at 16:31:16

From The Nevada Journal, Nevada, Story County, Iowa, February 14, 1968.

Pfc. Chuck Graham reported missing in action

Pfc Chuck Graham, a 1966 graduate of the Nevada High School, was reported "missing in action" Tuesday in fighting presumed to be near the ancient capital Vietnamese capital of Hue.

He has been missing since February 4.

The Defense Department notified his wife, the former Elaine Gandrup, in Nevada about noon, and Graham's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Graham, formerly of Nevada, at their home in West Memphis, Ark.

Pfc. Graham, 20, came to Nevada about 14 years ago from Blythesville, Ark. He attended school here and was a star athlete in track, football, and baseball his senior year in high school.

He entered the army in July 26 of last year, took his basic at Ft. Campbell, Ky., and his advanced infantry training at Ft. Polk, La.

He was married September 22 to Miss Elaine Gandrup daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gandrup of Nevada.

On January 2 he reported to Ft. Lewis, Washington and on January 4 was flown to Viet Nam. He was a mortar man with the 2nd Bn. of the 12th Cav. and the last word from him was that he was being held in a "reaction force" in battalion strength 12 miles from Hue.

The "missing in action" term, of course, does not Necessarily mean that he is lost. He may be wounded and in a hospital somewhere, he could be attached to a different outfit and separated from his own, or he could be captured by the enemy.

The army representative told Mrs. Graham, who is expecting a child, that it would take about nine days to check to make certain her husband was not hospitalized or with another group.

Pvt. Graham is the fourth from Story County to be reported missing or killed. David Pearson from Maxwell was the first to lose his life fighting in Viet Nam. The lieutenant son of former Nevadans Mr. and Mrs. Don Ferguson, now of Ames, lost his life in a helicopter accident. The third was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Hal Bleeker of Ames.

Graham's older brother, Hershel,21, returned to the states in November after spending a year in Viet Nam.

From The Nevada Journal, Nevada, Story County, Iowa, March 4, 1968.

Family told of soldier's death

Pfc. Chuck Graham, missing in action in Viet Nam since February 4, was officially listed as dead Sunday.

His wife, the former Elaine Gandrup, was notified at the home of her parents in Nevada Sunday by Defense Department officers from Des Moines.

No details of the soldier's death were learned, other than the fact that he had died as the result of wounds received in battle and had been dead since February 4. Fighting was raging in Hue at that time, news reports reveal.

The family was officially notified that Graham was missing in action on February 13 and had been waiting hopefully for word that he had been found or that he had been captured.

Graham, who was 20 years of age, entered the army in July of last year, took basic at Ft. Campbell, Ky., and advanced infantry training at Ft. Polk, La.

He was married September 22 to Miss Elaine Gandrup of Nevada.

His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Graham, formerly of Nevada, now living in West Memphis, Ark.

Further details, Mrs. Graham was told, will be available later this week. An announcement of funeral arrangements will be made at a later date.

The class of 1966 has established a memorial fund for Graham. Donations are being taken at Lyle's Clothing Store in Nevada.

From: The Nevada Journal, Nevada, Story County, Iowa, March 13, 1968.

FINAL TRIBUTE - With a hundred of his fellow townsmen looking on and representatives of veterans organizations represented in the crowd, Nevada paid it final farewell to Chuck Graham, its first Vietnam was victim, in Nevada Cemetery Tuesday. Soldier pallbearers are shown holding a flag over the casket while Rev. John J. Hamilton of Graham's church in Ames utters the commitment prayer. Charles Graham had been reported as missing in Viet Nam as of Feb.4 and relatives here were notified on March 1 that he was dead.