World War II Honoree

Robert Eugene Wilson

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Relationship

Friend

Rank: Machinist's Mate Second Class. He was inducted into the United States Navy September 20, 1943, at Chattanooga, Tennessee with Basic Military Training at the U.S. Naval Training Station Great Lakes, Illinois. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp and with additional training; he was transferred to the USS Eversole Destroyer I (DE-404) for duty. October 17, 1944, the USS Eversole with her Shipmate’s, along with an Armada of U.S. Warships, rendezvous off the coastal shores of the Philippine Islands. These Combatant Ships participated in the Battle-of-Leyte Gulf, against an Imperial Japanese Naval Fleet, located in the Western Pacific Theater of Operations. October 28, 1944, at approximately 0228 hours, the USS Eversole was sunk by a torpedo fired from the Japanese submarine I-45, going down into the Philippine Sea. This was the largest, Naval Battle of World War II. The climactic American Naval Victory over Japan. He was reported as “Missing-in-Action” or Buried at Sea along with his gallant crew members, gone without a trace and will “Remain on Eternal Patrol”. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines. In his Memory, this American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously for his Heroism, and ultimate sacrifice. He served his Country with Pride and Honor.