World War II Honoree

Harry J. Wilker

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Honored By

John D. Johnson

Relationship

Volunteer

SERVED AS A GUNNERY SERGEANT IN THE 10TH REGIMENT OF THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS AND WAS INITIALLY ASSIGNED TO THE 2ND MARINE DIVISION, THEN IN 1945 WAS RE-ASSIGNED TO THE 6TH MARINE DIVISION. ENLISTED IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA IN JANUARY 1942 AND DID HIS BASIC TRAINING AT THE MARINE CORPS BASE AT PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA. HE SUBSEQUENTLY ATTENDED RADIO SCHOOL IN QUANTICO, VIRGINIA BEFORE BEING ASSIGNED TO THE SERVICES AND SUPPLY COMPANY OF THE 10TH REGIMENT WHICH AT THE TIME OF HIS ASSIGNMENT, WAS STATIONED AT CAMP LEJEUNE NEAR JACKSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. HE SERVED FOR 7 MONTHS AT CAMP LEJEUNE BEFORE SHIPPING OVERSEAS. WHILE SERVING IN THE 2ND AND 6TH MARINE DIVISIONS HE PARTICIPATED IN THE CAMPAIGNS AT GUADALCANAL, SAIPAN, AND OKINAWA. FOLLOWING THE CAPTURE OF OKINAWA, WAS SENT TO GUAM TO PREPARE FOR THE INVASION OF MAINLAND JAPAN. FOLLOWING JAPAN’S SURRENDER WAS STATIONED IN TSINGTAO, CHINA AS PART OF THE AMERICAN OCCUPATION FORCE SENT TO CHINA IN LATE 1945. HE SERVED IN CHINA UNTIL MARCH 1946. HE RETURNED TO CAMP PENDLETON IN MARCH,1946 AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN MAY, 1946.