World War II Honoree

James Douglass Wilkerson

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Maramec, Pawnee County, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1942. TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT MARINE CORPS BASE, NAVAL OPERATING BASE, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA; THE MARINE BARRACKS AT CAMP PENDLETON AT OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA; AND MARINE REPLACEMENT BATTALION, CAMP ELLIOTT AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER DURING THE WAR, INCLUDING IN NEW ZEALAND; HAWAII; ON ENIWETOK ATOLL IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS; AND SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. WOUNDED IN ACTION IN 1944 DURING COMBAT OPERATIONS ON SAIPAN. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION, COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH ONE BRONZE STAR FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS UNIT IN COMBAT ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (2 CAMPAIGNS), AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1945 WITH THE RANK OF CORPORAL AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.