Billy's Story: Marine Killed In Iraq Leaves Videos Behind

Parents: 'It's Like He's Talking Directly To Us'

By: Karin Johnson

Billy Spencer joined the Marines when he was 19 years old. Within a year of joining the Marines, he was killed in action. But while he was deployed in Iraq, Billy documented his life for his parents.

The Marines had a pact that if anything ever happened to one of them, the others would download what was on their computer and give it to the Marine's family before the government erased everything off the hard drive.

Members of Billy's squadron delivered the videos to his parents. The videos began with his departure to Iraq. “It’s 6 o’clock in the morning. We’ve loaded the buses. On our way to March Air Force Base," Billy said. He is then heard on the video to California. “Peace California. See you in seven months.”

The Spencers said Billy left America as a boy. Although he was at that point a Marine, they said he was still a teenager who depended on his family, as illustrated in some of his recordings.

“You’ll be seeing this soon enough Mom. Getting ready to fly to Iraq. We’ll be alright. I’ll see you there. Love you,” Billy said.

“It’s like he’s talking directly to us,” said Billy's stepmother Dawn Spencer. “He wants us to know details.”

Through his recordings, Billy gave his parents lots of details, including his tour of duty in Iraq.

“We made it into Iraq last night. Soon enough we will be completely in harm's way but uh, we’ll see you there, I’m out,” said Billy in one video.

"I'm also sitting up here with my .50 cal. I've been waiting for ages to get my hands on this. Now all I got to do is wait for somebody to shoot at me so I can employ it,” he said on another video while showing how the rounds were as long as his hand.

Billy also managed to capture a side to the war most people don’t normally see, like how he helped the Iraqi children.

“I just gave 50 dinars to some little kid because he was crying, because his house blew up. So I gave him some money," he said.

The Spencers said most of the moments make them proud of their son. Others make them laugh, like when Billy, clearly exhausted, recorded himself singing the song “I’ve seen better days.”

“I seen in his face he needed to be babied and there was nobody going to baby him over there. He was eating peanuts and Mountain Dew,” said Dawn.

One moment that really stands out is when Billy is sick with the flu and talking about coming home. "I get to come home in like four and a half months, which is something to look forward to, always yes,” he said.

About 48 hours later, Billy was hit by enemy fire while trying to save his squad leader.

Back home in Middletown, the Spencers received that dreaded knock on the door on Dec. 28, 2006.

"The first thing I asked him, 'Was he hurt or is he dead?' He told me he was KIA," said Billy's father, David Spencer. “I couldn’t be there when he needed me. So that was the most hopeless moment of my life … It’s been almost three years in calendar time, but in Dad time, it’s been 24 hours.”

Although the videos won’t bring their son home, and this father won’t get that fishing trip with his son, the Spencers said the video has allowed them to see the war through Billy’s eyes. And see how their baby grew into a man and an American hero.

"I could look at those videos, every one of them, and say 'That's my kid' and be very proud," said David.

This past year, Lance Cpl. Billy Spencer was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions -- the U.S. military’s third highest honor.

The Spencers are now working with the family of fallen soldier, Matt Maupin, trying to get a heroes museum built in the Tri-State. They hope it will become a place to honor veterans, display military memorabilia and remember those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice, like their son.

If you'd like to contribute to the fund to build a memorial to Tri-State military heroes, visitwww.letusneverforget.org.

Excerpts From Billy's Video Diary:

Billy's Diary: Leaving For Iraq

Billy's Diary: Not What We Expected

Billy's Story: 'I've Seen Better Days'

Billy's Story: At His Post, With His Guns

Billy's Story: The Kids Of Fallujah

Billy's Story: Camped Out In An Iraqi House

Billy's Story: A Case Of The Flu