John Michael Wills - Vietnam War Heroes, Delta 1/5

John Michael Wills
Rank:	Lt Col	MOS:
Year(s) in Nam:	1969	Unit:	Delta 1/5
Contact Info Available?:	Yes	Status:	Died


JOHN WILLS OBITUARY John Michael Wills, 75, passed away Saturday night, March 18, 2023, at the University of Louisville Hospital. Mike was a devoted husband, Dad, and Grandpa, a Marine Corps Officer, and an educator, and will be missed and remembered by the many lives he touched. He was born April 22, 1947, in Troy, NY to the late Charles and Mary Grace Wills. He grew up in Paris, KY and was a 1965 graduate of Bourbon County High School. He graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 1969 where he was a founding member of Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity. A 27-year veteran with enlisted and commissioned reserve and regular service in the United States Marine Corps, he retired in 1993 as a Lieutenant Colonel of the Marines. In his 24 years of commissioned service, 12 were spent in command and leadership billets from platoon through battalion level. In addition, he has served in staff positions in logistics and operations from the battalion through division level with service in all three active Marine Divisions and the 4th Marine Division (Reserve). Personal Decorations: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with "V", Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star (second award), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars (third award), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy – Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon. He held the Navy/ Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia, U.S. Army Master Parachutist Badge, U.S. Army Special Forces Military Freefall Badge, and the British Parachute Insignia. Mike met the love of his life and wife of 43 years, Karen in 1979 while stationed in South Carolina. They married on January 5, 1980, at the Chapel on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. They spent the next 12 years at various bases, including a tour in Okinawa, Japan and posts at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Marine Corps Base Camp LeJeune, Fort Bragg Army Base, and Headquarters Marine Corps. After retiring from the Marines Mike began his teaching career as an NJROTC Senior Instructor and Social Studies Teacher at King George High School in Virginia. He returned to Kentucky in 1994 and spent 28 years in education in Northern Kentucky, first as a MCJROTC and Social Studies Teacher at Covington Independent Public Schools before taking administrative roles including Assistant Principal at Covington Holmes High School, Principal at Bellevue Independent Schools, and Director of Student Services and then Assistant Superintendent at Newport Independent Schools. Known as the "The Colonel," Mike worked tirelessly for his students and remained in contact with many of them. He was respected by those who worked with him and for him. Mike was a devoted supporter of the University of Louisville athletics and enjoyed attending games to cheer for the Cards. He was an avid outdoorsman, loved his English Setters and his family will treasure their memories of hunting for pheasant, quail, and deer. He especially enjoyed fishing with his grandchildren. Mike is survived by his loving wife, Karen; children T.J. (Gina) Wills of Lexington, VA, Amy (Blade) Townley of Louisville, KY, and Richard (Abby) Wills of Jackson, MS; Five grandchildren: Atticus, Mary Grace, Arthur, Ada Jean, and John Michael II; five siblings Tim (Becky) Wills, both of Lexington, KY, Mary Pat (Russ) Whitney, Georgetown KY, Monica (Clayton) Smith Springfield, VA, Steve (Teresa) Wills, DVM, Owensboro, KY, and Kathleen (John) Wills-Ellison, as well as many beloved nieces, nephews, family members, and friends both near and far. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 23 at 11:30 a.m. at St. Albert the Great, Catholic Church on Girard Drive in Louisville, KY. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 22 from 3:00-8:00 p.m. at Ratterman Brothers Funeral Home, 12900 Shelbyville Road in Louisville. Memorials can be made to Disabled American Veterans or Kappa Alpha Order. Published by Ratterman Brothers Funeral Home - East Louisville on Mar. 20, 2023.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL J. MICHAEL WILLS United States Marine Corps (Retired) Principal, Bellevue High School, Bellevue Independent Schools, Bellevue, Kentucky Lieutenant Colonel Wills is a native of Paris, Kentucky and a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky, with a B. A. in History and Social Science. He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in October 1966 and was later accepted into the Platoon Leaders Class and completed OCS in August 1968. Upon graduation in 1969, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Marines. After completion of The Basic School in December of 1969, he was assigned to the 1st Marine Division in the Republic of Vietnam for duty. During his tour in Vietnam Lieutenant Colonel Wills served as a rifle platoon commander with Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment for a period of eight months, and subsequently as the battalion S-4 (Logistics Officer) for the remainder of his tour. Following his Vietnam service he has served in a variety of command and staff billets to include: in the 2nd Marine Division, a battalion S-3 (Operations) training officer, S-3A (Assistant Operations Officer) and a rifle company commander; at Marine Barracks, Washington, DC, a ceremonial platoon commander, company executive officer, parade adjutant with additional duties as a White House Social Aide under Presidents Nixon and Ford; in the 4th Marine Division, an executive officer of a Military Police Company; at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, a recruit company commander and Director, Drill Instructor School; in the 3rd Force Service Support Group, a logistics plans officer; in the 3rd Marine Division, G-4 (Logistics) Operations Officer; at the Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School, Marine Corps University, Quantico, Virginia, an instructor of tactics and military history, special operations instructor and subsequently as Head of the Tactics Division. Lieutenant Colonel Wills commanded 2nd ANGLICO, Fleet Marine Forces Atlantic, Camp LeJeune, North Carolina from 10 July 1986 to 14 July 1988. Following his battalion level command tour he was assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina from 15 July 1988 to 31 July 1991. During his tour at Fort Bragg, he served in the assigned billets as Chief, Plans and Training Division, the Deputy J-3 and Acting J-3 of the J-3 (Operations) Directorate. Lieutenant Colonel Wills retired from the United States Marine Corps on 1 September 1993 at Headquarters United State Marine Corps, Washington, DC, where he served as the Deputy Director, Special Projects Directorate, Office of the Commandant. Prior to joining Bellevue Public Schools, he was a social science teacher and the Naval Science Instructor at King George High School, King George, Virginia from September 1993 to June 1994 and a social science teacher and military science teacher at Holmes High School from July 1994 until June 2001. Before assuming his current position, he was the Director of Holmes Alternative School from 1 July 2001to 30 June 2002 and the Assistant Principal at Holmes High School from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2004. In addition to The Basic School, Colonel Wills is a graduate of Amphibious Warfare School, the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, the U. S. Army Jungle Warfare School, the U. S. Army Airborne Course, the U. S. Army Jumpmaster Course, Instructional Management Course, Total Quality Management Course, the Special Forces John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center Military Freefall Course. He also holds a Masters Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio. A combat veteran of Vietnam, Operation Just Cause (Panama – 1989) and Operation Sharp Edge (Liberia – 1990), Lieutenant Colonel Wills’ personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V”, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star (second award), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars (third award), the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy – Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon. He holds the Navy – Marine Corps Parachute Insignia, the U. S. Army Master Parachutist Badge, U. S. Army Special Forces Military Freefall Badge and the British Parachute Insignia. Lieutenant Colonel Wills is married to the former Karen J. Cook of San Diego, California. They have three children: Thomas John (24) Centre ‘04, Amy Joanne (19) EKU ‘08 and Richard Joseph (13).