Klaus Zupp was born in 1949 in New York. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on June 27, 1967, and completed basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, in August 1967. Pvt Zupp next attended advanced individual training as a harbor craft operator at Fort Eustis, Virginia, before serving as a harbor craft operator with the 5th Transportation Company in South Vietnam from March 1968 until he was captured in Cambodia and taken as a Prisoner of War while serving aboard the landing craft LCU-1577 on July 17, 1968. After spending 156 days in captivity, SP4 Zupp was released by his Cambodian captors on December 19, 1968. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and then returned to duty with the 784th Transportation Company at Fort Eustis from February to June 1969. SP5 Zupp then completed another tour with the 5th Transportation Company in South Vietnam from August 1969 until he returned to the United States in June 1970, leaving active duty on July 2, 1970. He received an honorable discharge from the Army Reserve on March 21, 1973.

The Soldier's Creed:

I am an American Soldier.

I am a warrior and a member of a team.

I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.

I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American Soldier.