World War II Honoree

Spencer Bever

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Licking, Ohio

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Army February 1, 1941 with induction at Fort Hayes Columbus, Ohio. After completing the required training phases at Camp Hulen near Palacios, Texas, he was deployed to the Philippine Islands. His unit was based at Fort Mills Location: Corregidor Island AKA: the Rock. He served with Alpha Battery, an element of the 60th Coastal Artillery (Anti-Aircraft) Regiment, the Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. Wednesday, May 6, 1942 he was captured when Corregidor was seized by the Imperial Japanese Armed forces, with incarceration at the Prisoner of War Camp #4 O’Donnell, Luzon Island. Wednesday, October 11, 1944 he boarded the Japanese ‘Hell Ship’ Arisan Maru Destination: Japan via Formosa. Reported Missing in Action or buried at sea Tuesday, October 24, 1944 when the transport was torpedoed, and sunk in the Bashi Channel, South China Sea by a U.S. Submarine. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman, Ohio. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.