Colonel Edward J. Spasek, USMC (ret.)
“participated in World War II as a Communications Officer with the III Marine Amphibious Corps in the Bougainville,
Guam, and Okinawa campaigns. After the war, he graduated from Columbia University in New York City. A member of VMF-232, a
Marine Corps Reserve Fighter Squadron, at Floyd Bennett Naval Air Station in Brooklyn, New York, he was called up for active
duty in the Korean Conflict serving as Signal Officer of the 1st Marine Air Wing in Korea. As a civilian, he embarked on a
career in the magazine publishing business. He has a Commercial Pilots License, single-engine land, with instrument and multi-engine
ratings, accumulating 3,000 hours of flight time.” Colonel Edward J. Spasek is the author of It’s
Fun to Fly in Mexico and Tales of the China Marines.
According to the book description of Tales of the China Marines, it is “a book of
historical fiction, covers the period in China during the years before World War II. It was a fascinating time not only for
civilians but also for the servicemen of many nations including the U.S. Marines, Army and Navy. The infantry units of the
Army and Navy were stationed primarily in Peking, Shanghai and Tientsin, while the Navy patrolled the Yangtze River, all served
with the duty of protecting American civilians and Government property. Also protecting their civilians and trade were World
Powers like Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan, to name a few. They established their own embassies and enclaves, which were
independent of Chinese law to conduct their lucrative business. Into this maelstrom were thrust Darcy and Joe, who spend their
Marine Corps careers together or separately in Guam, Peking and Shanghai. They lived in a world often referred to as The Mysterious
Orient.”