William Douglas Farrell

William Farrell grew up in Le Claire. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 1968 and arrived in Vietnam in August 1968. He was assigned as a rifleman to Company A, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines. His unit was involved in Operation Taylor Common near Thuong Duc in Quang Nam Province. It was a search and destroy mission in mountains southwest of Da Nang heavily infested by the enemy. Private First Class Farrell was involved in a relief mission to protect a CH-46 that went down for mechanical reasons. As the fight expanded to nearby villages, Farrell was one of three Marines killed that day. He was buried in the Rock Island National Cemetery in Rock Island.