World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Spencer B. Weills
Branch of Service
U.S. Marine Corps
Hometown
Medford, Oregon
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
RANK: 1ST LIEUTENANT. HE WAS A UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS PILOT, WHO SERVED ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER, USS WASP CV-18 IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. HE FLEW THE F4U-1D CORSAIR FIGHTER-BOMBER ASSIGNED TO THE MARINE ATTACK SQUADRON VMF-217 ATTACHED TO THE MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP-81. ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1945 HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION DURING A LOW LEVEL AIR STRIKE RAID OVER THE ISLAND OF HONSHU, JAPAN AND WAS BURIED IN A JAPANESE BATTLEFIELD CEMETERY. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN, HIS REMAINS WERE TRANSFERRED TO HONOLULU, WITH INTERMENT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1946 IN THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC, ‘PUNCHBOWL’ HAWAII. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: AIR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE STAR, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. THE AIR MEDAL WAS AWARDED TO THE LIEUTENANT FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT AND THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.