| NAME: Elmer Harris Wilkinson |
NICKNAME: Harris |
SERVICE NUMBER: Unknown |
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| HOME OF RECORD: Keyes, OK |
NEXT OF KIN: Wife, Mrs. Mary Wilkinson |
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| DATE OF BIRTH: 5/28/1912 |
SERVICE DATES: 11/12/1942 – 10/14/1945 |
DATE OF DEATH: 8/2/1982 |
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| CAMPAIGN | UNIT | MOS | RATE | RESULT | |||
| Roi-Namur | HQ/3/24 | Corpsman | PhM3c | ||||
| Saipan | HQ/3/24 | Corpsman | PhM2c | ||||
| Tinian | HQ/3/24 | Corpsman | PhM2c | ||||
| Iwo Jima | HQ/3/24 | Corpsman | PhM2c | ||||
| INDIVIDUAL DECORATIONS: Bronze Star |
LAST KNOWN RANK: Pharmacist’s Mate, Second Class |
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Elmer Wilkinson was born in Patterson, Illinois in 1912. He grew up in Liberal, Kansas and Keyes, Oklahoma before marrying Mary Raeuber in Dalhart, Texas in 1935.
Wilkinson joined the Navy late in 1942. In his first year of service, he completed hospital corps school and field medical school before joining First Battalion, 24th Marines as a Hospital Apprentice, First Class. He served with 1/24 until the eve of departure for Roi-Namur – 10 January 1944 – at which time he transferred to the regiment’s Third Battalion.
Wilkinson went on to serve in all four battles of the Fourth Marine Division. He received a Bronze Star medal for valorous conduct on Saipan, and survived the war unwounded.
After his discharge in October 1945, Elmer and Mary settled in Los Angeles, California. Mary died in 1953; Elmer remarried and had two children with his second wife, Janice Dorothy Wilkinson.
He died in August, 1982 and is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Cypress, California.