World War II Honoree

Robert Emerson Wilkinson

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Winterset, Iowa

Honored By

Cheryl Wilkinson

Relationship

Daughter

ENLISTED MAY 1, 1941, WINTERSET, IOWA. COMPLETED STUDY AT THE U.S. MARINE CORPS SIGNAL SCHOOLS, RADIO COMPANY, BASE SIGNAL BATTALION, MARINE CORPS BASE, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, SEPTEMBER 27, 1941. COURSE OF STUDY MESSAGE CENTER COURSE, COMMUNICATIONS SCHOOL, BASE SIGNAL BATTALION, MARINE CORPS BASE, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA APRIL 27, 1945. CRUISING RECORD: OCTOBER 4, 1941 SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA TO HONOLULU, 5 DAYS ABOARD USS WHARTON AP-7; JULY 21, 1942 PEARL HARBOR, TERRITORY OF HAWAII TO GUADALCANAL, BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS, 18 DAYS ABOARD USS BETELGEUSE; FEBRUARY 8, 1943 GUADALCANAL TO WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, 6 DAYS; SEPTEMBER 28, 1943 WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND TO GUADALCANAL, 7 DAYS; NOVEMBER 8, 1943 GUADALCANAL TO BOUGAINVILLE, 3 DAYS; MAY 18, 1943 BOUGAINVILLE TO GUADALCANAL, 2 DAYS; MAY 24, 1944 GUADALCANAL TO PAGO PAGO, SAMOA, 6 DAYS; JUNE 21, 1944 PAGO PAGO TO SAN FRANCISCO, U.S., 15 DAYS ABOARD THE USS CAPE ESPERANCE CVE-88; JULY 23, 1945 SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA TO PEARL HARBOR, 7 DAYS; AUGUST 25, 1945 PEARL HARBOR TO SAIPAN, 16 DAYS ABOARD USS KERMIT ROOSEVELT ARG-16; SEPTEMBER 20, 1945 SAIPAN TO NAGASAKI, JAPAN, 4 DAYS; OCTOBER 26, 1945 NAGASAKI, JAPAN TO SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, 18 DAYS. HONORABLY DISCHARGED DECEMBER 14, 1945 AT GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS. HE WAS ON DUTY SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 7, 1941 SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HAWAII WHEN THE JAPANESE ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR. HE SPENT THE MORNING SHOOTING HIS RIFLE AT JAPANESE PLANES AS THEY FLEW OVER DURING THE ATTACKS ON THE SHIPS BELOW IN THE HARBOR.