Veterans valor HOF ceremony Friday in Columbus

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

alcorn@vindy.com

COLUMBUS

Two Mahoning Valley Vietnam War veterans, Roger Bacon, of Lisbon, who served in the Marine Corps, and Thomas Leetch, of East Palestine, who served in the Army, will be inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame for Valor Friday in recognition of bravery in combat. They are among 22 in the Class of 2019.

GEORGE R. “ROGER” BACON

It could be said of Bacon that he was born to be a Marine.

His father, Dr. Wade Bacon, a long-time physician in Lisbon, was, at the time of Roger’s birth in 1945, a Naval doctor assigned to the Marine Corps at Camp Lejuene, N.C. As it happened, Dr. Bacon was in the delivery room next to his son’s assisting with the births of Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller’s twins.

Puller was a famous Marine officer who served in World War II and the Korean War.

Bacon, 73, who graduated in 1962 from Culver Military Academy’s Summer Naval School, in 1963 from David Anderson High School in Lisbon, and from Parsons College in Iowa and Columbus Business University, turned down an offer to attend the Merchant Marine Academy.

He wanted to serve in the military, however. But did not want to be drafted.

“I woke up one Saturday morning and visited recruiters for all the branches of the military. The only one who didn’t lie to me was the Marine Corps. He said I would be in Vietnam within a year,” he said.

Bacon enlisted in July 1966 and arrived in Vietnam in April 1967 and was assigned to Special Landing Force-Alpha, whose job it was to assist, rescue or recover military units or personnel in trouble.

“Because of the intensity of these operations, it was usually a three-month assignment. Our unit was kept on this duty for nine months,” Bacon said.

It was during this period that Bacon suffered two wounds for which he received Purple Hearts.

On his first SLF operation, then Lance/Corporal Bacon was wounded; six days later he was wounded again, this time by shrapnel from a mine. He said that operation cost the battalion 53 killed in action, including 13 from Bacon’s own company.

In October 1967, the Viet Cong overran the American lines, killing many Marines as they penetrated the command post. Bacon’s orders were to keep a Navy corpsman alive and help treat and move the wounded to a secure area.

During this attack, Bacon was grazed by a bullet, but he made a deal with the corpsman to not report the injury because a third Purple Heart would have sent him home.

“I was not going to leave my men,” Bacon said.

After a 13-month tour, he returned to Camp Lejeune where he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Gieger, N.C., as a company platoon commander.

Five months later, he was released from active duty and turned to the business world in which he had a 40-plus year career as a human resources professional, including 20 years as corporate director of human resources for Taylor-Winfield Corp., which had a facility in Warren.

Since his retirement in 2010, Bacon has been elected to the boards of directors of the Third Marine Division Association and the Columbiana County Community Action Agency, and appointed a member of the Columbiana County Veterans Service Commission.

Bacon and his wife, Ellie, who have been married 40 years, have two children, Robert Wagner and Traci Leko, both of Lisbon; five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Bacon’s military awards include a Purple Heart with Star, Combat Action Ribbon and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation with “V” for Valor, which made him eligible for induction into the Ohio Military HOF for Valor, while serving as a radio operator with Co. C, 1st Btn., 3rd Marines, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade.

His citation reads, in part: “On May 2, 1967, Co. C came under intense enemy automatic weapons and mortar fire. Observing several Marines lying in the fire-swept area unable to move to friendly positions, Bacon, disregarding his own safety, repeatedly exposed himself to a heavy volume of fire to assist the men to the relative safety of a trenching.

“After providing medical aid to the wounded and ensuring that they were in covered positions, he returned to his platoon and continued to operate his radio.”

Bacon went back to Vietnam in 2012 with three friends from the war.

“Some guys want no part of it. But for me, it was satisfying and gratifying to go back and just kind of exhale,” Bacon said.

“We ran into some Viet Cong and we sang and drank all night,” he said.

THOMAS P. LEETCH

In a word, Vietnam was “rough.”

“Other words would better describe it, but they are not appropriate for publication in a newspaper,” said Thomas P. Leetch, 73, of East Palestine.

His citation reads, in part: “Private First Class Leetch distinguished himself by heroism in connection with ground operations against an armed hostile force in Vietnam on May 6, 1968. Leetch was a rifleman on a reconnaissance mission about six miles west of Saigon when his company was attacked by a well-entrenched Viet Cong force.

“With complete disregard for his own safety, PFC Leetch repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire and displaying exceptional aggressivenes, assaulted an enemy bunker and rolled a hand grenade into it killing two of the enemy. Inspired by his courageous actions, the rest of the platoon moved forward, placing a heavy volume of fire upon the the Viet Cong force.”

Given his actions on May 6, Leetch is likely correct in saying he was lucky to not be wounded or killed during his year-long tour in Vietnam.

At 21, he was drafted into the Army in September 1967 and served in Vietnam from March 4, 1968, to March 4, 1969, as a member of the 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 199th Light Infantry Brigade. He was discharged in September 1969.

Leetch said serving in Vietnam brought him “appreciation for everything we had in this country versus experiencing a true Third World country.”

“I’m proud to have served my country, and feel lucky to have survived,” he said.

Leetch has not returned to Vietnam and says he doesn’t have any desire to do so.

Neither does he talk much about his Vietnam experience although he said he is looking forward to meeting some fellow Vietnam veterans to exchange memories.

Leetch, who has been a barber for 54 years and owns Cook’s Barbershop in East Palestine, talks about the war with some of the Vietnam veterans who come into the shop. Outside of that, Leetch said he “hasn’t really talked about the war, period.”

He said he is honored to be chosen for the Ohio Military Hall of Fame.

Leetch and his wife, the former Gwen Walker, both East Palestine natives, have been married “going on 48 years,” and are graduates of East Palestine High School. Leetch also graduated from Akron Barber College.

They have two children: Barry Leetch of Columbiana and Mary Sokevitz of New Middletown; and four grandchildren.

Other veterans and community organizations of which Leetch is a member include American Legion Post 31, Eagles Lodge 506, Moose Lodge 467, Knights of Columbus Council 1890, and Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church in East Palestine.