Accidental death (not combat related) Archives

George Ralph Wallace

Warren, Ohio

U.S. Marine Corps – early 1960s

George Wallace joined the Marine Corps on 19 October 1960. He served as an auto mechanic at the United States Navy Amphibious Base in Little Creek, Virginia. He was discharged on 16 October 1964.

After leaving the service, George worked as a Manufacturing Engineer at Wean Engineering in Warren, Ohio, then at Millright Services in Niles, Ohio. He was a member of the American Society of Engineers.

Good Conduct Medal

Born: 23 December 1942, New Castle, PA
Married: 11 February 1967
Family: 1 daughter, 2 grandsons
Died: 10 February 1997, Youngstown, Ohio

Richard Bruce Spence

Spence, Richard

Spence, Richard Bruce

Grove City, PA

U.S. Army – Vietnam

“I didn’t know the gun was loaded.”

That pathetic excuse takes on a whole new dimension when the “gun” is a recoilless rifle, a seven foot long anti-tank weapon that fires a high-explosive round that is nearly three inches in diameter.

On January 11, 1970, the D Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry of the 1st Cavalry Division were cleaning their weapons at their base in Binh Duong Province, South Vietnam. One of the crew members, not knowing his recoilless rifle was loaded, accidentally fired it. The ensuing explosion killed four soldiers, including PFC Richard Bruce Spence of Grove City. This happened just twelve days after PFC Spence had arrived in Vietnam.

After graduating from Grove City High School in 1968, Richard B. Spence completed an airline school course in Hartford, Connecticut. He worked at La Guardia Airport in New York until he joined the army in July, 1969.

He completed basic and advanced individual training as a crew member on a recoilless rifle, which is essentially a long tube that fires an explosive anti-tank round. Slated to go to Vietnam, he spent a 22-day furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Spence, during the 1969 Christmas Holiday. PFC Spence left Grove City on December 28 and arrived in Vietnam on December 30.

He was posthumously promoted to corporal and awarded the Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

On the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Panel 14W Line 028