World War II Honoree

Wilfred Russell Wallace

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Wyandotte, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN 1943 AT AGE 17 AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND AFTER THE START OF THE WAR. DUE TO HIS AGE, HE REQUIRED PARENTAL PERMISSION TO ENLIST AND HIS QUAKER FATHER WHO WAS A PACIFICIST ON PRINCIPLE RELENTED AND GAVE IT. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD THE DESTROYER USS CALLAGHAN (DD-792), WITH DUTIES THAT INCLUDED OPERATING A 20-MM GUN. HIS SHIP PARTICIPATED IN A NUMBER OF ENGAGEMENTS AND HAD SHOT DOWN MANY ENEMY 'KAMIKAZE' SUICIDE PLANES. IN LATE JULY, 1945, HIS SHIP WAS PART OF A FLEET TRYING TO PROTECT OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS. THE FLEET WAS ATTACKED BY NUMEROUS ENEMY PLANES AND HIS SHIP WAS STRUCK BY A JAPANESE SUICIDE BIPLANE THAT CAUSED FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS AND CRIPPLED THE SHIP. HE SUFFERED A HEAD WOUND FROM SHRAPNEL FROM THE EXPLOSIONS AND DISCOVERED THE BODY OF HIS BUDDY AND FELLOW OKLAHOMAN. ALTHOUGH HE WAS SURE THAT HIS FRIEND WAS DEAD, HE STRAPPED HIS OWN LIFE JACKET ON HIM. HE AND OTHER CREWMEMBERS THEN JUMPED INTO THE SEA FROM THE BURNING SHIP. AT 02:35 A.M. ON JULY 28, 1945, WHILE HE AND HIS SHIPMATES CLUNG TO EACH OTHER TO STAY AFLOAT, THEY WATCHED AS THEIR SHIP SANK BENEATH THE WAVES. THEY WERE IN THE SEA SOME 30 HOURS BEFORE BEING RESCUED. A TOTAL OF 47 SHIPMATES WERE KILLED IN THE ATTACK OUT OF THE SHIP'S 325-MEMBER CREW. THE USS CALLAGHAN AND 42 OTHER SHIPS WERE SUNK IN THE BATTLE. HIS 20TH BIRTHDAY WAS ON JULY 30, 1945. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.