World War II Honoree

Verne L. Wikert

Branch of Service

U.S. Merchant Marine

Hometown

Long Beach, California

Honored By

Mrs. Celia Wikert & Ivan

Relationship

Wife & Son

His Military Career began as an Enlisted man and was later selected for Officer’s Candidate School in Alameda, California. As a Third and Second Assistant Engineer Officer he saw action in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and the Pacific Theaters. Survived the Japanese Submarine I-26 (Yokota) attack which torpedoed and sank his ship, the SS "Coast Trader" on June 7, 1942 in the Straits of Juan de Fuca off the Coast of Washington in the Olympic Peninsula. Awarded the Mariner’s Medal, Mediterranean Middle East War Zone Bar, Pacific War Zone Bar and the Atlantic War Zone Bar.