Raymond H. Wilkins

Raymond Harrell Wilkins (September 28, 1917 – November 2, 1943) was a United States Army Air Forces officer and posthumous recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.

Biography Wilkins was born in Portsmouth, Virginia to William Samuel and Florida Alverta Harrell Wilkins of Columbia, North Carolina. The family returned to Columbia when Wilkins was two years old. Wilkins grew up in Columbia and attended school there, graduating from high school in 1934. Wilkins entered the University of North Carolina in September, 1934. He was registered as a pharmacy major, with the intent of going to medical school.

Military career and death In 1936 Wilkins left UNC and enlisted as a private in the United States Army Air Corps. Serving at Langley Field, Virginia, Wilkins rose to the rank of staff sergeant.

He entered the Cadet Training Corps at Smith Air College, St. Louis before being transferred to Kelly Field, Texas, where he served as a Cadet Corps captain. Wilkins received his pilot's wings on October 31, 1941 and was commissioned a second lieutenant. After serving as an instructor and receiving additional training at Maxwell Field, Alabama, Wilkins was assigned to duty in the Philippines later in 1941, arriving four days before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Wilkins was then assigned to the 8th Bombardment Squadron of the 3rd Attack Group, Fifth Air Force. Flying B-25 Mitchells in combat missions out of New Guinea, Wilkins was promoted to first lieutenant, captain, and then to major. In September 1943 he was made squadron commander.

On November 2, 1943, he participated in a bombing raid on Japanese ships as part of the Bombing of Rabaul. Wilkins repeatedly exposed himself to intense anti-aircraft fire and successfully destroyed two enemy vessels. Despite severe damage to his aircraft, he continued to attack until his plane was shot down into the sea, killing him. For his actions during the mission, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor four months later, on March 24, 1944.

Awards and honors

Silver Star

Memorials Wilkins' remains were never recovered; a marker in his memory was placed at Olive Branch Cemetery in his hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia.

Yokota Air Base in Japan was to have been changed to Wilkins Army Airfield (WAAB) after him, but orders for this never arrived, and it remained under the name Yokota. Some metal manhole covers stamped "WAAB" remained in use around the base as of 2017. There was a stadium named for him at the base, and there is still a Wilkins street.

On November 2, 2003 (the sixtieth anniversary of Wilkins' death), the North Carolina Department of Transportation named U.S. Route 64 through Tyrell County, N.C., the "Major Raymond H. Wilkins Memorial Highway" for his courage and self sacrifice.

Wilkins' name is inscribed on the Tyrrell County War Memorial, Columbia.