Extracted from The Panama City News-Herald (Panama City, FL)
J. Robert Wilson Killed In Action At Bougainville
Family Notified Panama Citian Killed Nov. 3
Message Confirms Death of Young Officer First Reported Missing
Had Downed Jap Zero Fighters
Second Lt. James Robert Wilson, 28-year-old son of Mrs. C. O. Wilson of 1540 Mulberry avenue, was killed in action on Nov. 3 in Bougainville, according to a telegram received yesterday by his father-in-law, G. W. McClain of Old Orchard, from the War Department in Washington.
In a message received a little over two weeks ago, Lt. Wilson had been reported missing since Nov. 3 in the Southwest Pacific area.
The Message
The message received by Mr. McClain and made public follows.
``The Secretary of War desires that I tender his deep sympathy to you in the loss of your son-in-law, Second Lieutenant James R. Wilson, who was previously reported missing in action. Report received in States that he was killed in action on three November in Bougainville. Letter follows.''
``THE ADJUTANT GENERAL''
The young officer was pilot of a B-24 Liberator Bomber, which he named ``Big George'' after his two-year-old son, George Oliver.
Lieut. Wilson's wife, the former Miss Hazel McClain, lives here with her parents.
The young pilot, who had several Japanese Zero planes to his credit, had recently been awarded the Air Medal and Oak Leaf Cluster. He had been ``highly commended by high-ranking officers for courage in bringing his plane through heavy storms without injury to his crew after having made a crash landing.''
Graduate of Bay High
Lieut. Wilson was a graduate of Bay County High School where he was an honor student.
He entered the service in March 1942 and received his pilot training at the Gulf Coast Training Center, starting at Kelly Field, Tex., where he received his wings last January.
He was trained as pilot of B-24 Liberators at Davis Monthan Field, Tucson, Ariz., and at Biggs Field, El Paso, Tex.
Lieut. Wilson had three brothers in the Armed Service: Flight Officer William O. Wilson, Army Air Forces, Miami; Cade; Donald E. Wilson, Army Air Forces, Pennsylvania State College, and Private Leslie E. Wilson, Army, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
Associated Press dispatches to the News-Herald on Nov. 3, the date on which Lieut. Wilson is reported to have been killed, disclosed that some of the heaviest fighting in the entire campaign against Bougainville was underway at that time.
Wednesday, December 1, 1943