Carroll Eugene Fankhauser

Carroll Eugene Fankhauser was raised in West Branch and he was named after his WWII Army veteran father, Carroll Otis. Fankhauser joined the Marine Corps and was trained to be a machine gunner. The Lance Corporal deployed to Vietnam in January 1965 with the 3rd Marine Division as part of the build of forces in and around Danang. LCPL Fankhauser took a rest and relaxation trip to Hong Kong in August 1965. On the flight back to Danang the Lockheed KC-130F Hercules Marine transport plane crashed into the Hong Cong Harbor. The crash killed 59 of the 65 aboard, including LCPL Fankhauser and two other Iowans. During take-off the aircraft’s engine experienced a malfunction, and then hit a sea wall before crashing into the harbor. The 22-year-old’s body was recovered and returned to Iowa. He was buried at the Memory Gardens Cemetery in Iowa City.