 |
World War IIUS Army507th Parachute Infantry Regiment Service Number: 37706873 Born: 1918 Inducted: November 11, 1943 - Denver Killed in action January 12, 1945 near Flamizoulle, Belgium Buried: Luxembourg American Cemetery, Plot I, Row 8, Grave 22, Luxembourg Silver Star, Purple Heart |
Son of Mrs. Everett Koger. Husband of Anna Queen Spencer.
ABMC Photograph
Akron News - Reporter February 15, 1945
Young Cope Soldier Is Killed In Action
Roy Spencer, son of Mrs. Everett Koger of the Arickaree community, was killed in action in Belgium on Jan. 12.
Roy was a paratrooper and had been overseas since last fall.
He was the son of the late Frank Spencer and Mrs. Spencer, now Mrs. Koger. Roy was 26 years old and was one of a family of 10 children, born and raised at Cope.
He is survived by the following relatives: his wife, Mrs. Anna Spencer; mother; sisters, Mrs. Clifford Edwards, Mrs. Charley Colpitts, Mrs. Wayne Moss, Mrs. Dale Mack, Mrs. Bill Koger, Gladys, Norma Jean and brothers Clifford Spencer and Robert Spencer, who is also in the European theater of war.
Akron News - Reporter October 25, 1945
Posthumous Award is Made Former Cope Boy
Pvt. Roy Spencer Paid With Life for Outstanding Gallantry in Action Against Germans.Posthumous awarding of the Silver Star to the late Pvt. Roy J. Spencer of Cope was recently announced by the Seventh Service Command of the United States Army. Pvt. Spencer, a member of the paratroop infantry, was killed in action Jan. 12, 1945, near Flamizoulle, Belgium, while attempting to halt a German tank counter-attack with a bazooka anti-tank gun, which was known to be faulty.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Anna Queen Spencer and his mother, Mrs. Everett Koger, both of the Cope community.
Below is the Silver Star citation which accompanied Pvt. Spencer's posthumous award and which tells the story of the Washington county boy's heroism officially:
Silver Star
"For gallantry in action against the enemy near Flamizoulle, Belgium, on Jan. 12, 1945. Private Spencer was a member of a bazooka team which was in a company attack in a woods outside of a Belgium town.
"As Private Spencer advanced, his bazooka was struck by pieces of flying shrapnel that tore holes in the tube. At this point German tanks started counter-attacking. Both Private Spencer and his teammate knew that the tanks must be stopped. They also knew that their weapon might blow up in their faces, due to the holes torn in it.
" Nevertheless, without thought for personal safety, they fired in an attempt to stop the tanks. The weapon blew up and both were instantly killed.
"This gallantry inspired their company successfully to repulse the German counter-attack.
"The military service ranks the gallantry of Private Spencer among its proudest traditions."
Gold Star Member Certificate
Go to previous page | next page.
Return to Gold Star Veterans Listing.