During the period of active American participation in the Vietnam War in the 1960s, Beallsville gained brief notoriety for the loss of five of its citizens in the conflict — a traumatic rate of loss for the village of fewer than 500 residents that was estimated at 75 times the national average. The plight of the community drew wire service coverage and was the subject of a lengthy illustrated spread in the glossy left-wing magazine Ramparts. Moved by the magnitude of the loss, Congressman Clarence Miller made a formal request to Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird and President Richard Nixon to withdraw the village's other six servicemen from combat, which was denied.

A sixth of the village's sons fell in combat on March 9, 1969, cementing the community's tragic distinction of having the highest percentage rate of loss in the Vietnam War of any town in America.