World War II Honoree

Richard Donald 'Dick' Wilson, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Merchant Marine

Hometown

New Orleans, Louisiana

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

Relationship

0

VOLUNTEERED FOR SERVICE WITH THE U.S. MARITIME SERVICE (USMS) AT AGE 16. USMS WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAINING MEN FOR THE U.S. MERCHANT MARINE (USMM). UPON COMPLETION OF TRAINING, HE WAS RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY IN THE USMS AND WENT TO SEA IN THE MERCHANT MARINE. THE USMM WAS A CIVILIAN AUXILIARY OF THE U.S. NAVY THAT OPERATED A FLEET OF CIVILIAN-OWNED SHIPS THAT CARRIED CARGO AND PASSENGERS TO ALL FRONTS. SERVED IN THE USMM DURING THE WAR AS A SECOND COOK IN THE STEWARD'S DEPARTMENT, ABOARD CARGO AND TRANSPORT VESSELS. MONTHS AFTER HE SIGNED UP, HIS SHIP WAS ATTACKED AND SUNK IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN AREA. HE WAS THE ONLY CREWMAN TO SURVIVE THE SINKING. HE WAS ABLE TO SWIM TO A RAFT WHICH WAS STOCKED WITH FOOD AND WATER. THE RAFT PROBABLY SAVED HIS LIFE. HE WAS RESCUED SOME THREE DAYS LATER BY A U.S. NAVY SEAPLANE THAT PICKED HIM UP. UNFORTUNATELY, THE SEAPLANE LOST AN ENGINE EN ROUTE TO THEIR BASE AND WERE FORCED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING AT SEA. HE AND OTHERS WERE LATER PICKED UP BY A PATROL TORPEDO (PT) BOAT AND TAKEN TO LAND. SOON AFTER HIS RESCUE, HE RESUMED HIS SEA DUTIES, AND CONTINUED IN SERVICE WITH THE USMM AROUND THE GLOBE AND IN OTHER WAR ZONES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND AWARDED THE MARINER'S MEDAL FOR DANGEROUS EXPOSURE AS A RESULT OF ENEMY ACTION, ATLANTIC WAR ZONE MEDAL, COMBAT BAR WITH STAR FOR HAVING TO ABANDON HIS SHIP AFTER ATTACK BY THE ENEMY, VICTORY MEDAL, AND HONORABLE SERVICE BUTTON. ISSUED THE MERCHANT MARINE SERVICE EMBLEM.