John Joseph Wilson

Their Story

John Joseph Wilson was born on August 23, 1946, to Frederick Dale and Flora Doreen (Instone) Wilson.¹ He attended Central High School in Davenport, Iowa, after which he continued his education at Elmhurst College in Chicago, Illinois.² In March of 1965, Wilson entered the U.S. Army to serve in the Vietnam War. Two years later, at the rank of second lieutenant, Wilson served as an infantry mechanic platoon leader for Company C, 218^th Infantry, 4^th Infantry Division.³

On September 12, 1967, Wilson married Margaret W. Anderson at the Fort DeRussy Chapel in Honolulu, Hawaii.⁴ After serving in Vietnam with the 4^th Infantry Division for about a year, Wilson returned to the United States in May of 1968. He remained at home with his family on a thirty-day furlough before leaving to attend Aviation School at Fort Rucker, Alabama.⁵ By January of the following year, Wilson had been promoted to captain, and soon returned to Fort Rucker as the assistant director of the overseas replacement training committee.⁶ In March of 1970, Wilson completed 16 weeks of helicopter training at the Army Primary Helicopter School at Fort Wolters, Texas.⁷ On June 16, he was awarded his wings, after completing Officer Rotary Wing Pilot training at the Army Flight Training Center, in Savannah, Georgia. A week later, he completed a course in flying Cobra helicopters. Afterwards, Wilson went home for thirty-days leave.⁸

On August 29, 1970, Wilson began his second tour of duty in Vietnam. He was assigned to the Headquarters Company of the 101^st Aviation Battalion, 101^st Aviation Group, 101^st Airborne Division, United States Army Republic of Vietnam (USARV).⁹ On December 16, 1970, Wilson was shot and killed by friendly fire while out on patrol. It was reported that he was mistaken for an enemy soldier while checking on the perimeter. He was survived by his wife, Margaret, and their two young daughters, his parents, a sister, and two brothers.¹⁰