Professional Football Player. He was the only former professional NFL or AFL player to be killed in action during the Vietnam War. Born James Robert Kalsu, he attended Del City High School in Del City, Oklahoma. He then attended and played football for the University of Oklahoma, where in 1967 he helped the Oklahoma Sooners capture the Big Eight Conference title and was named an All-American offensive tackle. Selected in the eighth round of the 1968 AFL/NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, he quickly proved himself by earning the team's Rookie of the Year award in his first American Football League season as guard. However, he had made an ROTC commitment with the 101st Airborne Division in college, and in late 1969 he was called to duty in Vietnam. Informed he could be given a deferment as a professional football player, he chose to honor his military commitment and was deployed to Vietnam as a 1st Lieutenant in Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 11the Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. On July 21, 1970, eight months into his tour of duty, he was killed in action while helping defend Ripcord Base on an isolated jungle mountaintop near the Ashau Valley, Thua Thien, South Vietnam when enemy fire ignited an ammunition depot. His name is inscribed on Panel 08W, Line 38 on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.
Professional Football Player. He was the only former professional NFL or AFL player to be killed in action during the Vietnam War. Born James Robert Kalsu, he attended Del City High School in Del City, Oklahoma. He then attended and played football for the University of Oklahoma, where in 1967 he helped the Oklahoma Sooners capture the Big Eight Conference title and was named an All-American offensive tackle. Selected in the eighth round of the 1968 AFL/NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, he quickly proved himself by earning the team's Rookie of the Year award in his first American Football League season as guard. However, he had made an ROTC commitment with the 101st Airborne Division in college, and in late 1969 he was called to duty in Vietnam. Informed he could be given a deferment as a professional football player, he chose to honor his military commitment and was deployed to Vietnam as a 1st Lieutenant in Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 11the Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. On July 21, 1970, eight months into his tour of duty, he was killed in action while helping defend Ripcord Base on an isolated jungle mountaintop near the Ashau Valley, Thua Thien, South Vietnam when enemy fire ignited an ammunition depot. His name is inscribed on Panel 08W, Line 38 on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.
Bio by: Brenda N
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