For those of you who are loyal followers of my web pages, you often see that I add family pictures and history to feature stories that aren't specifically connected to the theme of that story but when I have pictures and information about a person/family, I like to show how much more there is to something I feature than just the specific aspects of it...history is so involved and the connections are endless.
Sadly MOST of our history has been lost and thrown away, but I continually try to find that old Manning history to digitize it and archive it so at least what is still left out there somewhere will be preserved - even though the fate of that information I work with will also be thrown away in the future.


Rachel Merkel - practicing with her students.
Rachel was in charge of the IKM-Manning Veterans' Day program.
Many of you may not know her connection to Manning so here are some pictures and information.

Like most Manning citizens, they have one or more Veterans in their family history...Rachel is no exception.


Dale Pfannkuch

Dale was inducted into the Army on February 10, 1970. He took his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and Cannoneer training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
He served in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division, Battery A 1st Battalion Air Mobile 321st Artillery. He was attached to several different Infantry Units in the field for a short time as a radio telephone operator. He was stationed near Phu Bai, Vietnam, and on many different Fire Support bases.
Specialist 4th Class Pfannkuch was discharged on September 16, 1971, and received these medals: National Defense Service, Vietnam Service, Army Commendation and Good Conduct Medal.

First Cousin of Dale Pfannkuch
Bob Henkelman, Norma Hagedorn and Lonnie Rowedder are also first cousins of Eugene

SP/4 Eugene John George Kock
Eugene John Kock, son of Raymond and Helen (Henkelman) Kock, was born April 20, 1948, at Carroll, Iowa.
As an infant, Eugene was baptized at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Vail. He attended the Ar-We-Va school in Vail and Westside. Eugene graduated with the class of 1966.
After graduation, he worked at Iowa Beef Packers in Denison until he entered the Army on November 1, 1967. He received his basic training in Ft. Lewis, Washington. He had two weeks of leadership school before going to Ft. Benning, Georgia, to jump school. He had three weeks of training in the paratroopers before coming home for a 30-day leave before going to Vietnam. He left California on June 3, 1968.
He called home to tell his folks not to worry about him the night before he left for Vietnam. Landing at Bien Hoa, he spent 1 1/2 days there before being sent to An Khe for two weeks of jungle school. From there, he went to Tuy Hoa the base camp for the 173rd Airborne, of which he was very proud. His company was sent to Ban Me Thuot as a reconnaissance force in August.
They were in the field 55 days before being sent back to Tuy Hoa where Eugene spent the rest of his time in Vietnam.
Eugene was killed on March 22nd by friendly forces while on a water detail. He received the Bronze Star for Heroism on January 31, 1969.
Eugene John Kock reached the age of 20 years 11 months, and 29 days.
PRESENTATION OF MEDALS AND AWARDS
September 20, 1969 by Lt. Col. D. L. Schuett 6th District
V.F.W. Post Commander - Kenneth Fogelman
8th District Vice Commander of the American Legion - LuVern Olberding
MEDALS RECEIVED
Purple Heart
Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Ribbon
Combat Infantry Badge
Expert Marksmanship Badge for Machine Gun
Sharpshooter Badge for Automatic Rifle
Bronze Star with a First Oak Leaf Cluster for heroism on January 31, 1969

1983 Manning Monitor feature - "Leaders of Tomorrow"

Ryan Pfannkuch & Rachel Pfannkuch


1998 All State: Jennifer Stribe & Rachel Pfannkuch

2006 Manning Quasquicentennial history book

Dale & Renee Pfannkuch

Dale Pfannkuch was born in Manning, Iowa. He is the son of Marvin and Viola (Kock) Pfannkuch. Marvin was born on March 22, 1912, in Jackson Township, Crawford County, Iowa. He was the son of Frank and Emma (Voege) Pfannkuch. Marvin passed away on January 8, 1993, in Manning. Viola was born on February 27, 1916, in Jackson Township, Crawford County, Iowa, to George and Mary (Dettbarn) Kock and resides in Manning. The grandparents of Marvin and Viola came to the United States from the Holstein area of Germany.

Dale graduated from Manning High School in 1969. He served in the Army during the Vietnam War. In 1974, he graduated from the Agriculture Program at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Dale and Renee farmed from 1974 to 1995 on his parent's farm located 2 1/2 miles south of Manning. From 1985 to 1995 he served as a substitute rural mail carrier for Walt Lage and Ken Jensen out of the Manning Post Office. He became a regular carrier in 1995.

Dale and Renee Brazeal were married on May 31, 1975, at Walnut Grove Baptist Church in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Renee is the daughter Emmett and Veronica (Van Scoy) Brazeal and was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1969 and from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education. Renee has served as the Director of the Manning Public Library since August of 1990. Renee has three brothers, Emmett Jr. and David (Pete) of Council Bluffs, and Donald of Maryland. Her two sisters, Monica Sciortino and Kathleen Johnson also reside in Council Bluffs.

Dale and Renee have two children. Ryan Dale was born in Manning. He graduated from Manning High School in 1996. He graduated from Iowa State University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Meteorology. Rachel Renee was born in Manning. She graduated from Manning High School in 2000. She is a 2003 graduate of Iowa State University receiving her degree in Family Consumer Science Education. During her years at Iowa State, she also attended the College of Charleston in South Carolina on a student exchange program and she is currently pursuing a degree in Guidance Counseling through Buena Vista University.

The Pfannkuch family attends the First Presbyterian Church in Manning.


Marvin Pfannkuch Christmas 1972


Viola (Kock) Pfannkuch Christmas 1972