This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Kent Weekly (SS/DSV) (DBF), EMCS
to remember
Wilkinson, Theodore Stark, Jr., VADM USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Annapolis, MD
Last Address Norfolk, VA
Date of Passing Feb 21, 1946
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Theodore Wilkinson was only an Ensign when he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions serving aboard the USS Florida (BB-36) in Veracruz, Mexico.
As a Lieutenant, he was recognized for a few of his creations while stationed at the Bureau of Ordnance. He is credited with creating a noxious gas filler for shells that would serve as a smoke screen, the successful design of depth charges, and the creation of the firing mechanism for the Mark VI mine.
VADM Wilkinson died in a ferry accident. He was able to save his wife, but he himself drowned.
Other Comments:
Medal of Honor
Service: Navy
Division: U.S.S. Florida
General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 177 (December 4, 1915)
Citation: The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Ensign Theodore Stark Wilkinson, Jr., United States Navy;
"for distinguished conduct in battle during the engagements of Vera Cruz, Mexico, 21 and 22 April 1914, on board the U.S.S. FLORIDA. Ensign Wilkinson was in both days' fighting at the head of his company and was eminent and conspicuous in his conduct, leading his men with skill and courage."
Mariana and Palau Islands Campaign (1944)/Battle of Angaur
From Month/Year
September / 1944
To Month/Year
October / 1944
Description The Battle of Angaur was a battle of the Pacific campaign in World War II, fought on the island of Angaur in the Palau Islands from 17 September—22 October 1944. This battle was part of a larger offensive campaign known as Operation Forager which ran from June 1944 to November 1944 in the Pacific Theater of Operations, and Operation Stalemate II in particular.
Bombardment of Angaur by the battleship Tennessee, four cruisers, and forty Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers from the aircraft carrier Wasp began on 11 September 1944. Six days later on 17 September, the U.S. 81st Infantry Division—commanded by Major General Paul J. Mueller—landed on the northeast and southeast coasts. Both RCTs were counterattacked during the night. Both RCTs linked up the next day. By the end of the third day, 19 Sept., the main area of Japanese resistance was to the northeast around Romauldo Hill, so the 323rd RCT was sent to Ulithi.
Resistance stiffened as the Americans advanced on "the Bowl", a hill near Lake Salome in the northwest of the island where the Japanese planned to make their last stand, after the rest of Angaur and Saipan town were taken. There was another small position where the Japanese had about 400 soldiers in a defense at the southeast corner of the island, around Beach Green, that was neutralized on September 20 after 2 days of harsh fighting and about 300 U.S. casualties.
From 20 September, the 322nd Infantry Regiment repeatedly attacked the Bowl, but the 750 defenders repulsed them with artillery, mortars, grenades and machine guns. Gradually, hunger, thirst, and American shellfire and bombing took their toll on the Japanese, and by 25 September the Americans had penetrated the Bowl. Rather than fight for possession of the caves, they used bulldozers to seal the entrances. By 30 September, the island was said to be secure although the Japanese still had about 300 more soldiers in the Bowl and surrounding areas that held out for almost four more weeks. Toward the end of the first week of October, 1944, the protracted conflict had degenerated into minor patrol action with sniping, ambushing, and extensive booby-trapping employed by both sides.
The island's defense commander, Major Goto was killed on 19 October fighting to keep possession of a cave.[1]:70–71 The last day of fighting was October 22 with a total of 36 days of fighting and blasting the Japanese resistance from their caves with explosives, tanks, artillery and flamethrowers. The 81 Infantry Division had finally taken the whole of Angaur, albeit suffering more casualties than they had inflicted.
