World War II Honoree

Wilbur B. 'Spider' Webb

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Ardmore, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1938, BEFORE THE WAR. ASSIGNED ABOARD THE BATTLESHIP USS OKLAHOMA (BB-37) AT PEARL HARBOR, ON THE HAWAIIAN ISLAND OF OAHU, ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 7, 1941, WHEN THE JAPANESE CONDUCTED A SURPRISE AIR AND SUBMARINE ATTACK AGAINST AMERICAN NAVAL SHIPS AND MILITARY FACILITIES AND AIRFIELDS. THE ATTACK KILLED SOME 2,403 PEOPLE, AND WOUNDED 1,104 OTHERS. IT CRIPPLED THE U.S. PACIFIC FLEET, DESTROYING OR DAMAGING ALL 8 BATTLESHIPS, INCLUDING THE USS OKLAHOMA, AS WELL AS OTHER WARSHIPS THAT WERE IN THE HARBOR. THE ATTACK ALSO DESTROYED 75% OF THE AIRCRAFT ON AIRFIELDS ON OAHU. HE ESCAPED HIS STRICKEN BATTLESHIP BY GOING THROUGH A PORTHOLE. HE WAS A PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR. APPLIED, AND WAS SELECTED FOR THE NAVAL AVIATION PILOT TRAINING PROGRAM. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF TRAINING IN 1943, WAS AWARDED HIS NAVAL AVIATOR WINGS AND RATED AN ENLISTED AVIATION PILOT. SERVED OVERSEAS AS AN F6F CARRIER-BASED 'HELLCAT' FIGHTER PILOT IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER. ON JUNE 19, 1944, WHILE FLYING WITH VF-2 FIGHTER SQUADRON FROM THE USS HORNET (CV-12), AND ATTACKING THE JAPANESE AIRFIELD ON GUAM IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS, HE WAS ATTACKED BY A SWARM OF JAPANESE AIRPLANES. HE RADIOED HIS FELLOW PILOTS THAT 'I HAVE ABOUT 40 (JAPANESE) PLANES SURROUNDED AND NEED A LITTLE HELP.' HIS GUN CAMERA JAMMED BETWEEN HIS SIXTH AND EIGHTH ATTACKS ON ENEMY FIGHTERS, BUT DOCUMENTED HIS EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN THE FACE OF INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS, AND HIS AERIAL VICTORIES. DURING THIS EXTREME AERIAL 'DOGFIGHT,' HE WAS CREDITED WITH 6 CONFIRMED KILLS AND 2 PROBABLE KILLS, AND EARNED THE DISTINCTION OF BECOMING 'AN ACE IN ONE DAY.' THIS AERIAL BATTLE, NICKNAMED 'THE MARIANAS TURKEY SHOOT,' WAS PART OF THE LARGER BATTLE OF THE PHILIPPINE SEA, WHICH VIRTUALLY DESTROYED JAPANESE NAVAL POWER FOR THE REST OF THE WAR. FOR HIS ACTIONS, HE WAS RECOMMENDED FOR THE NAVY MEDAL OF HONOR. AWARDED THE NAVY CROSS, DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH ‘FLEET’ CLASP, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS SQUADRON IN COMBAT IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS AND PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HE WAS DESIGNATED AS THE MOST HIGHLY DECORATED ENLISTED MAN IN THE NAVY DURING WWII. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN. CONTINUED IN U.S. NAVY SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RATING OF CHIEF AVIATION PILOT.