Charles Thomas Hopper, of Sioux City, attended Iowa State from 1947 to 1951 as a chemical technology major. As a student, he was involved with the Army ROTC and president of his residence hall and the YMCA.

Upon graduating, Hopper worked at Mallinckrodt Chemical Corporation in St. Louis, until he entered military service in October. He trained at Fort Sill, Okla., for approximately one year before he was assigned as a second lieutenant in the C Battery, 555th Field Artillery Battalion, 5th Infantry Regimental Combat team. He was later promoted to first lieutenant and commander of Block C, which was located in eastern Korea during the Korean War, later moving to the country’s central region.

Hoover died at the age of 23 on July 14 in the beginning of a 14-day assault by the Chinese on his artillery battalion. His remains were never recovered; he was a decorated soldier.