John E Carter

John E. Carter Jr. grew up in Des Moines and graduated from East High School in the class of 1967. As a youth he was on the swim team and a member of several clubs such as: the German Club, Spanish Club, Key Club, Lettermen’s Club, and Gymnastics Club. Carter was a member of the Sunshine Open Bible Church in Polk County. After high school he attended the University of Iowa before enlisting the Marine Corps in November 1968. He trained as a rifleman and deployed to South Vietnam in August 1969. Carter was married and had a child when he went to Southeast Asia. Lance Corporal Carter served in a sniper platoon with the Headquarters Company, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division in the Third Marine Amphibious Force. He died of shrapnel wounds inflicted by an enemy explosive device on February 15, 1970. LCPL Carter was 20 years old at the time of his death. His remains were returned to Iowa and buried at the Pine Hill Cemetery in Des Moines.