John Edward Slater

John Edward Slater grew up in rural Marshalltown before joining the Marine Corps. In December of 1968 he was out on a reconnaissance mission when his unit encountered enemy forces. The team retreated and during the extraction 2LT Slater fell from the evacuation helicopter and died on the scene. The hoist on the chopper broke. He was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star with Valor. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Grundy Center. He was 22 at the time of his death.