Honoring Marion Ohio Veterans

Cpl. Michael Bruce Spicer was a Radio Telephone Operator (RTO) with the 1st. Platoon, 1st. Armored Amphibious Company, 11th Marine, 1st Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Cpl. Spicer was killed by hostile small arms fire when his patrol was ambushed. He left behind a wife, Janis (Eshman) Spicer, and young daughter, Julie Spicer (14 months old).
Cpl. Spicer was awarded the Purple Heart. He is buried in the Woods Section of the Marion Cemetery. Cpl. Michael Bruce Spicer’s name in listed on the Vietnam Honor Roll, at the Marion Veterans Memorial Park, west side of the Marion County Courthouse and The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, on Panel 42E/Line 024.

Cpl. Michael B. Spicer is also remembered on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, at the Marion County Admin building at 222 West Center St. in Marion, Ohio.

From the Marion Star dated 3-8-1968

4th County War Victim
Cpl. Spicer Killed
On Vietnam Patrol

Grief once again came to Kensington Pl. from Vietnam Thursday.
For the second time in four months, men in uniform stopped on the quiet street on Marion’s far east side. They knocked on a door with a grim message.
This time the news was as shocking as the last, Marine Cpl. Michael Spicer had been killed in Vietnam.
Two Marine officers from Columbus informed Cpl. Spicer’s wife, Janis, that her husband was mortally wounded March 1 when his patrol was ambushed.
Mrs. Spicer and her 14-month-old daughter were staying at 186 Kensington Pl. with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Eshman, waiting for “Mike” to come home.

LAST NOVEMBER, the Walter R. Warnes, a half-block down the street learned their son, Pfc. Dennis E. Warne, had been killed in Vietnam.
Cpl. Spicer, 21, became the fourth Marion Countian to be killed in action in Vietnam.
He was the son of Mrs. Doris Spicer of 640 1/2 S. Prospect St. and Don Spicer, who now is in Italy.

PEOPLE who did not know Cpl. Spicer may remember him. His picture appeared on the front page of The Marion Star on Valentine’s Day last month.
His wife and little daughter Julie were photographed looking at his picture. They had sent him a sentimental, heart-shaped card for Valentine’s Day.
Today Mrs. Spicer received a telegram from the commandant of the Marine Corps in Washington confirming Cpl. Spicer’s death. It said that he was killed in the vicinity of Quang Tri after receiving a gunshot wound to the body from hostile gunfire while on patrol.

THE PROVENTIAL capital of Quang Tri is located about seven miles south of the north eastern frontier of South Vietnam near the demilitarized zone.
Cpl. Spicer, stationed with the Marines at Da Nang since last October, was a 1964 graduate of Harding High School.
Also surviving is a sister, Mrs. Richard (Sheila) Christopher of Cuyahoga Falls.

From The Marion Star February 14, 1968