About Military Collector Services

U.S. Army Veteran and Collector

Marion’s father was a WWII veteran who served with the 34th Infantry Regiment’s in the Pacific Theater of Operations. He was badly wounded on Biak Island in 1944, and was totally disabled as a result these wounds. He died in 1960, at the VA Hospital in Kansas City, MO.

Inspired by his father’s courage and service, Marion developed a lifelong interest in WWII and – later – the artifacts that returning GIs brought home.

Marion’s military career began in 1977 when he was the first commissioned officer of the ROTC program at Missouri Southern State College. He was commissioned as an Army Infantry Second Lieutenant. Marion served a total of 28 years of reserve and active duty.

Highlights of his military career include:

• Assistant Professor of Military Science, Pittsburg State University
• Inspector General, Fort McCoy, WI
• Mobilization Officer, U.S. Army Reserve Command, Fort McPherson, GA
• Graduate of the Army War College
  
• Deputy Commander, 7th Army Reserve Command, Schwetzingen, Germany
  

Marion retired from active duty in 2005. He later spent three years as an exercise planner for U.S. Army Europe, Heidelberg, Germany.

He married Martha Jane House in 1980. They have two children, Maximillian and Melanie.

Marion returned to Southwest Missouri in 2010 to help his son establish Liles Performance & Auto Body, a classic MOPAR restoration service. In 2013, Marion started Military Collector Services, a retail military collectibles store in Webb City, MO.

Marion has traveled the world to bring you the best vintage military collectibles available.

Martha Liles assists her husband’s efforts at Military Collector Services by serving as staff accountant and performing restoration services on cloth items.

Her father was a career U.S. Air Force NCO who retired after 23 years of active duty. Martha moved around with her family and attended nine different schools before graduating from Webb City High School in 1974. She attended Missouri Southern State College, where she earned degrees in accounting and business administration. 

Martha’s other work experience includes:

• More than 20 years with the City of Joplin Finance Department 
  
• Analyst for the U.S. Army’s 266th Finance Command in Germany 
  
• City Clerk for the Village of Airport Drive 
  

Since retiring permanently in 2015, Martha enjoys caring for her four grandchildren. In addition to all of her family responsibilities, Martha enjoys sewing and quilting.