Charles Keating III

Charles Humphrey Keating III (nicknamed C3; He was convicted of fraud in the savings and loan crisis, along with his more famous father, but the charges against him were later dismissed. His son, a Navy SEAL operator, was the third American service member to be killed while fighting ISIL in Iraq, in 2016.

Early life and swimming Charles Keating III was born to Mary Elaine (Fette) and Charles Keating, Jr. on August 20, 1955. The elder Keating had won the national college championship in the 200-yard breaststroke at the NCAA swimming and diving championships in 1946. Charles Keating III is also the brother-in-law of four-time Olympic medalist Gary Hall, Sr., and the uncle of ten-time medalist Gary Hall, Jr.

Charles Keating III qualified for Amateur Athletic Union national championships from the age of 13. At St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, he swam for the state champion varsity team all four years. During his senior year, he won the Ohio state championship in 200 IM and 100 breaststroke.

After graduating from St. Xavier in 1973, he went on to swim for Indiana University Bloomington under legendary coach Doc Counsilman on a scholarship. He graduated in 1977.

In 1993, Keating was convicted on 64 counts of fraud and conspiracy as a co-conspirator with his father in the collapse of American Continental and Lincoln Savings and Loan Association (see savings and loan crisis). The younger Keating was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison and $97.3 million in restitution but remained free on bail pending appeals.

In 1996, U.S. District Judge John Davies overturned their convictions, ruling that the jury in the 1993 case was prejudiced by rulings against the elder Keating at the state level.

After the scandal, Keating continued to work as a real estate developer in Phoenix. and went on to compete for the Cross Country team at Indiana University. After two athletic seasons, Keating IV joined the Navy SEALs (2006–2016) and trained at the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in California. He was deployed to the American-led intervention in Iraq, supporting Iraqi Kurdistan's Peshmerga forces in an advise and assist mission in a 30-man unit.

On May 3, 2016, Keating IV, a Chief Petty Officer, was killed by small arms fire during an ISIL assault on a Peshmerga position approximately 3 to 5 kilometers behind enemy lines, near the town of Tel Asqof, 28–30 km north of Mosul. ISIL militants broke into the position using three truck bombs followed by bulldozers which cleared the wreckage away. The U.S. responded with fighter, bomber and drone, carrying out 31 airstrikes, which killed 58 IS militants and destroyed 20 vehicles, stopping the attack. Keating IV was part of a nearly 20-man QRF that was sent to rescue a dozen U.S. advisors and to assist the Peshmerga, during the battle the SEALs ran low on ammunition and Keating's machine gun malfunctioned so he went back to a nearby coalition vehicle to get a new weapon and additional ammunition. Keating, now armed with a sniper rifle, climbed on top of a building and began firing on the ISIS fighters. It was at this point that Keating was struck by enemy fire. He was medevaced to a hospital where he was declared dead. Arizona governor Doug Ducey ordered state flags be flown at half mast on May 4. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in a battle against about 100 ISIS fighters on March 4, 2016, in Syria. He was the third American service member to be killed while fighting ISIL in Iraq, in 2016.