Richard Saulers Bowers

Richard Saulers Bowers grew up on Pleasantville in Marion County. He joined the Army and trained at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. In February he was named the “soldier of the month” at the Fort Leonard Wood training facility. He specialized as a heavy vehicle operator. SP4 Bowers deployed to South Vietnam in April 1970 and worked as an engineer in the 18th Engineers Brigade. He was killed on March 1, 1971 when his bulldozer was ambushed by enemy forces in the Binh Thuan Province. SP4 Bowers was 23 years old at the time of his death.