World War II Honoree

Olison Oliver Wheeler

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Abbeville, Alabama

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

Joined the U.S. Navy in August 1941. He was a gunman on the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown. He fought in nine major battles in the Pacific Theater of Operations, including the invasions and battles of Coral Sea, Midway, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and Philippine Islands. During the Battle of Midway, he valiantly shot down numerous enemy aircraft. After the Yorktown was struck by torpedoes, he was one of the survivors after spending hours in shark infested waters while rescuing an injured American pilot. He then transferred to the battleship, USS West Virginia, where he saw action in numerous major battles. He was present in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrendered on September 2, 1945.