James Allen Lasche (1948-1967)

LASCHE, TETMEYER, VOSS, ANDERSON

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 7/14/2025 at 16:16:30

From Ames Daily Tribune, Ames, Story County, Iowa, February 8, 1967.

James A. Lasche killed in Vietnam

The Defense Department today disclosed the first death of an Ames youth in Vietnam - Pfc. James Allen Lasche, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Lasche, 125 State St.

Lasche, who had been in Vietnam less than two months, died Monday. He had been shot by a sniper while putting up his tent.

A 1965 graduate of Ames High School, Lasche had enlisted in the Army and had left for Vietnam a few days before Christmas.

The Ames soldier's parents were notified of his death Tuesday night and received a telegram Wednesday confirming the report.

No further details were available.

The first Ames victim of the Vietnam war, Lasche was the second youth from Story County to die there. David Pearson, Maxwell, died in Vietnam on Jan. 5.

From Ames Daily Tribune, Ames, Story County, Iowa, February 11, 1967.

Services set for James Lasche

Funeral services for James Allen Lasche, 19, who died last Monday in Vietnam will be Monday at 10 a.m. from St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church with the Rev. Fr James supple officiating. Burial will be in Ames Municipal Cemetery. Rosary will be said Sunday at 8 p.m. at Stevens Memorial Chapel.

Born May 23, 1947 in Ames, he was a 1965 graduate of Ames High School. He enlisted in the United States Army in June, 1977 and arrived in Vietnam in December, 1966.

He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Lasche, 125 State St.; three brothers, Jack, Larry and Tom, all at home; three sisters, Mrs. Carol Tetmeyer, Des Moines, Mrs. Mary Jo Voss, Hawaii and Susan, a student at the State College of Iowa, Cedar Falls; his paternal grandfather, F. H. Lasche, Waterloo and a maternal grandmother, Mrs. Eloise Anderson, Des Moines.

Submitter Note: Government records spell his middle name "Alan" rather than "Allen" as shown in the newspaper articles.