Bob Kalsu’s name is on the Buffalo Bills’ Ring of Honor at their stadium in Orchard Park because of the sacrifice he made for his country. After his promising rookie season with the Bills in 1968, he entered the United States Army and joined the fight in the Vietnam War in November 1969.
On this date in 1970, Kalsu was killed in action:
#OTD in 1970 Buffalo Bills guard Bob Kalsu, who entered the US Army after his rookie season, is killed in Thua Thien, Vietnam. Kalsu's wife would give birth to a son two days after his death. He is permanently immortalized on the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/w7XJy0uZDd
— ThisDateInBuffaloSportsHistory (@BuffSportsHstry) July 21, 2020
As pictured above, Kalsu was featured by Sports Illustrated on their cover in July 2001. The story can be found here, which details Kalsu’s journey from as All-American offensive lineman at Oklahoma to American hero. Kalsu was the only professional athlete to be killed in the conflict.
Kalsu went on the Bills’ Ring of Honor in 2000. In 2016, Kalsu’s family was honored by the Bills’ co-owners, Terry and Kim Pegula, on the field prior to a November game against the Jaguars, which is also pictured above.
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