Descendents page 17

322. LOIS JANE7 DUNNEGAN (WALTER CELLMAN6, IRVIN GEORGE5, SOPHRONIA (PHRONIE) ELIZABETH4 TATE, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born Private. She married HOMER GLEN EUBANKS Private. He was born 1917 in AL, and died 1998 in MS.

Children of LOIS DUNNEGAN and HOMER EUBANKS are:
505. i. CAROL ANN8 EUBANKS, b. Private.
506. ii. PEGGY JANE EUBANKS, b. Private.

323. GENEVIEVE ANN7 DUNNEGAN (WALTER CELLMAN6, IRVIN GEORGE5, SOPHRONIA (PHRONIE) ELIZABETH4 TATE, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born Private. She married HARVEY EUGENE WILKES Private. He was born 1922 in AL, and died 1988 in KY.

Children of GENEVIEVE DUNNEGAN and HARVEY WILKES are:
i. LOIS STEPHANIE8 WILKES, b. Private.
ii. STEPHEN CELLMAN WILKES, b. Private.

324. MARY GERTRUDE7 TATE (JOEL SHERRILL6, JAMES ALEXANDER5, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born April 15, 1887 in Nashville, Davidson County, TN, and died April 19, 1983 in Nashville, Davidson County, TN. She married (1) WORDY EDWARD (SR.) KING, son of JOHN KING and SARAH BARRETT. He was born 1879 in Canon County, TN, and died December 23, 1972 in Nashville, Davidson County, TN. She married (2) THOMAS JEFFERSON DILL. He died Unknown.

More About MARY GERTRUDE TATE:
Burial: Unknown, Springhill Cemetery, Nashville, Davidson County, TN

Child of MARY TATE and WORDY KING is:
507. i. WORDY EDWARD (JR.)8 KING, b. Private.

Child of MARY TATE and THOMAS DILL is:
508. ii. HIRAM MACK8 DILL, b. June 29, 1905, TN; d. December 08, 1962, TN.

325. JOHNNIE LEE7 TATE (JOEL SHERRILL6, JAMES ALEXANDER5, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born October 31, 1896 in Nashville, Davidson County, TN, and died September 26, 1981 in Nashville, Davidson County, TN. She married JOHN AMBER (SR.) KING Abt. 1913, son of JOHN KING and SARAH BARRETT. He was born October 09, 1891 in Sycamore, Canon County, TN, and died March 15, 1967 in Nashville, Davidson County, TN.

More About JOHN AMBER (SR.) KING:
Burial: Unknown, Woodlawn Cemetery, Nashville, Davidson County, TN

Children of JOHNNIE TATE and JOHN KING are:
i. JOHN AMBER (JR.)8 KING, b. May 07, 1915, Nashville, Davidson County, TN; d. October 1988, Nashville, Davidson County, TN.

More About JOHN AMBER (JR.) KING:
Burial: Unknown, Woodlawn Cemetery, Nashville, Davidson County, TN
Military service: U. S. Army, WWII Veteran

509. ii. THOMAS MILLARD KING, b. October 15, 1917, Nashville, Davidson County, TN; d. April 17, 2000, Nashville, Davidson County, TN.
510. iii. TAYLOR LINDELL KING, b. January 28, 1920, Nashville, Davidson County, TN; d. January 1988, Nashville, Davidson County, TN.
511. iv. CLYDE EDWARD KING, b. June 30, 1924, Nashville, Davidson County, TN; d. July 20, 1992, Nashville, Davidson County, TN.
512. v. ROBERT LENTZ KING, b. Private.
513. vi. JOE SHERRILL KING, b. Private.
514. vii. GERTRUDE MARIE KING, b. March 18, 1933, Nashville, Davidson County, TN; d. 1997, Nashville, Davidson County, TN.

326. EVA7 M.TATE (JAMES CALVIN ALEXANDER6 TATE, JAMES ALEXANDER5, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born Abt. 1887 in Nashville, Davidson County, TN, and died Unknown. She married CHARLES J. MULVANEY July 12, 1904 in Galesburg, Knox County, IL, son of JAMES MULVANEY and CATHERINE HARRISON. He was born 1882 in Utica, NY, and died Unknown.

Notes for EVA M.TATE:
Eva Tate was 6 years old when she went from Tennessee to Galesburg, Illinois to live with her father and step-mother. she had been in an orphanage. After she married Charlie Mulvaney they moved to Cherokee, Iowa. Both of their children were born there.

They lived in Cherokee, Iowa until the mid 1930s when they moved to Long Beach, California. They owned a parking lot and an apartment building there. Charlie died in the late 1940s or early 1950s. Eva wrote her step-mother she had sold their business and apartment house and was going to the Philippines to see Terrence Mulvaney who was operating a rattan furniture business there. That was the last we heard from her. The last addresses the Tate family had for her was:

827 Linden, Long Beach, California and 866 California, Long Beach California

Reference: Aline Brown Tate notes

Children of EVA M.TATE and CHARLES MULVANEY are:
i. MARY MULVANEY8 MULVANEY, b. December 1907, Cherokee, Cherokee County, IA; d. Unknown, At age 16 of a ruptured appendix.
ii. PHILLIP TERRENCE MULVANEY, b. Private.

327. JAMES MANLY7 TATE (JAMES CALVIN ALEXANDER6, JAMES ALEXANDER5, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born Private. He married MARY ALINE BROWN Private. She was born Private.

Child of JAMES TATE and MARY BROWN is:
i. ROBERT EUGENE8 TATE, b. Private; m. KAY ARLINE HANSBOROUGH, Private; b. Private.

328. MORRIS GEORGE7 TATE (JAMES CALVIN ALEXANDER6, JAMES ALEXANDER5, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born November 11, 1897 in Galesburg, Knox County, IL, and died June 02, 1966 in Springfield, Sangamon County, IL. He married HELEN EVELYN BROWNE June 29, 1922 in Springfield, Sangamon County, IL. She was born June 11, 1903 in Cincinnati (Hamilton), OH, and died October 13, 1968 in Springfield, Sangamon County, IL.

Notes for MORRIS GEORGE TATE:
Morris must have been a very good student. His teacher once told his mother that she wished the other students had as much time to work as Morris wasted. She said she even gave him extra work and he still had time to play. He attended Knox College in Galesburg. Morris worked as a salesman with Old Ben Coald Company and also for American Chicken Company. He worked for many years before he retired from the Internal Revenue Service.

Thanksgiving, 1951. There was a newspaper article and picture of the family at dinner. The article told of all the family's contribution to the armed services. The father and all four children served as noted:

Morris G. Tate, Sr.: veteran of WWI

Elizabeth (Beth) Tate: served with the WAVES in WWII
Donald Tate: fought in the 13th Armored Division with General George Patton's army in Germany in WWII
Morris George Tate, Jr.: fought with the 2nd Infantry Division, 38th Regiment in the Battle of Old Baldy and other engagements of the Korean Chorwon Sector
Cpl. James Edward Tate: served with the 24th Infantry in Korea.

Reference: Aline Brown Tate notes

More About MORRIS GEORGE TATE:
Burial: Unknown, Roselawn Memorial Park, Springfield, Sangamon County, IL

Children of MORRIS TATE and HELEN BROWNE are:
i. HELEN ELIZABETH8 TATE, b. Private; m. PETER M. SHARPE, Private; b. Private.
515. ii. DONALD EUGENE TATE, b. April 13, 1925, Galesburg, Knox County, IL; d. November 07, 1982, Lawndale, CA.
516. iii. MORRIS GEORGE TATE, b. Private.
517. iv. JAMES EDWARD TATE, b. Private.

329. OLLIE ORA7 DURNIL (ALICE GRANT6 TALLY, LOUISA ADALINE5 TATE, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born August 30, 1897 in Cooper County, MO, and died Unknown in Boonville, MO. She married JOHN MARTIN JENRY December 21, 1917 in Clarks Fork, MO, son of CHARLES JENRY and MARGARET HOERL. He was born September 13, 1890 in Clarks Fork, MO, and died Unknown in Boonville, MO.

Notes for JOHN MARTIN JENRY:
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Source: Melton's "History of Cooper County"

John Martin Jenry, proprietor of the Jenry Taxi Co. in Boonville, has had more than his share of thrilling experiences.

During the World War he departed September 19, 1917 for Camp Funston Kansas where he was a member of Co. H, 356th Infantry. On December 2 he contracted pneumonia and was in the army hospital at Ft. Riley Kansas until December 19 when he was given a furlough.

He arrived home Dec 20 and the following day he married Miss Ollie Durnil of his home community, Clarks Fork.

He reported back to Camp Funston, Jan 7 1918. On February 28, 1918, he was transferred to the Third Division at Camp Steward, Virginia arriving there March 3.

On April 6 1918 he sailed for Brest France on the Great Northern and his division moved up to the Gonde Corps area.

He was in two major defensives and three major offensives of the great war and also was in the Army of Occupation in Germany. Mr Jenry who serial number was 2,214, 530, has the following record of service in 1918;

The Aisne Defense, Jun 1 to 5. In it his machine gun battalion fought in the streets of Chateau Thierry. There the Germans were within 35 miles of Paris, their nearest approach to the French capital.

The Champagne Marne Defensive July 15 to 18.

The Aisne-Marne Defensive July 18 to 30. Mr. Jenry's outfit crossed the Marne, July 21 and drove the enemy back 29 kilometers. A kilometer is about five eighths of a mile. The advance was so fast that Mr. Jenry's regiment fought with machine guns mounted on trucks. The advance was continuing July 30, when his division was relieved.

The Saint- Mihiel Offensive, September 12 to 16. This was an outstanding military accomplishment. The French previously had failed to take Mount Seek a high hill in the St. Mihiel sector, where the fighting was most concentrated. They had tried a barrage in front of the enemy. General Pershing reversed their tactics, shooting the barrage behind their trenches and then gradually pulling it back. When the fire approached the enemy position, the Americans went over the top. The Germans were demoralized by the barrage bursting thick among them. Their retreat became a rout.
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Sept. 26 to the end of the War, Nov 11. Here Mr. Jenry's division relieved in daylight the 79th Division, which, under the brunt of terrific fighting had been forced to retreat. The Third Division held the enemy. It was a regular army outfit originally filled with seasoned troopers who had fought from palms to pines.

Through the long months of hard fighting that Mr. Jenry and his comrades experienced a vast majority of the regulars had fallen and were "pushing daisies in Flanders". But the replacements soon caught the spirit of the surviving old timers and the division always was the same hell bent fighting machine, deadly with machine guns, artillery and the long army rifles with which they picked off the enemy at 600 yards, even on a windy day.

On Dec 1 1918, the Third Division became part of the Army of Occupation. A few days before that, Mr. Jenry and his buddies had Thanksgiving dinner on the Moselle river. They dined on corn beef and went to the river to wash it down. Then , through a corner of the tiny Kingdom of Luxembourg they marched on to make Andernoch, Germany on the Rhine their regimental headquarters.

Mr. Jenry served in Germany until August 9 1919, when the regiment left for Brest and on August 25, arrived at Hoboken, New Jersey.

At Camp Zachary Taylor, near Louisville he was honorable discharged. Sept 4, 1919 with the notation on his discharge: "Excellent character."

Mr. Jenry was born September 13, 1890 in a farm home that sat in a woodland near Clarks Fork. He is the son of Charles Jenry and Margaret Hoerl Jenry. He attended Oak Grove rural school. He farmed before the war and for five years after his discharge.

Mr. Jenry moved to Boonville November 12, 1924, and three days later entered the taxi business with one car. He built the business to five cars in 1929.

Mr. & Mrs. Jenry have one daughter, Miss Marjorie Louise Jenry, born September 1, 1920.

Mr. Jenry's thrilling adventures did not end with the World War. About 5:00 PM on March 14 1935, he answered a fake telephone call and was kidnapped by four desperate Reformatory inmates who forced him to drive to near Gainesville MO, with guns constantly at his back and side.

The tied him in the woods and drove off in his car, crossing into Arkansas.

Mr. Jenry soon freed himself and started walking back north along the highway. He was picked up by Capt. J E Will banks and R S Odom of the Reformatory, who were in the chase.

Three of the inmates later were captured at Claremore Okla., and were given heavy prison sentences. The ringleader, the most dangerous of the quartet, is still at large. He was believed to be slightly unbalanced mentally.
Only Mr. Jenry's good judgment in promptly complying with his captors' demands and his diplomacy and gameness in facing danger saved his life.

More About JOHN MARTIN JENRY:
Military service: Bet. 1918 - 1919, WW1 - U. S. Army

Child of OLLIE DURNIL and JOHN JENRY is:
518. i. MARJORIE LOUISE8 JENRY, b. September 01, 1920, Boonville, MO; d. March 13, 1999, Yukon, OK.

330. NORAH ALICE7 DURNIL (ALICE GRANT6 TALLY, LOUISA ADALINE5 TATE, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born May 30, 1899 in Cooper County, MO, and died Unknown. She married JOHN SCHILB. He died Unknown.

Children of NORAH DURNIL and JOHN SCHILB are:
i. KELLY8 SCHILB, b. Private; m. JOHN WILSON, Private; b. Private.
ii. JOHN MARTIN SCHILB, b. Private.

331. GROVER7 DURNIL (ALICE GRANT6 TALLY, LOUISA ADALINE5 TATE, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born 1904 in Cooper County, MO, and died Abt. 1982. He married RUTH F. FLOWERS Private. She was born Private.

Child of GROVER DURNIL and RUTH FLOWERS is:
519. i. CHARLES PATRICK8 DURNIL, b. Private.

332. MARY E.7 TATE (WILLIAM (BILL) BASCOMB6, PHILANDER (PHIL) MARION5, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born Abt. 1911 in Vinita, OK, and died Unknown in Vinita, OK. She married (1) LEE OVERSTREET Private. He was born Private. She married (2) KARL MATTOS Private. He was born Private.

Children of MARY TATE and LEE OVERSTREET are:
i. SUE B.8 OVERSTREET, b. Private.
ii. LEE ANN OVERSTREET, b. Private.

333. NEWTON EUGENE7 TATE (NEWTON EVERETT6, PHILANDER (PHIL) MARION5, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born April 1917 in Bluejacket, OK, and died October 1992 in Bluejacket, OK. He married MARY ELIZABETH MATTHEWS Private, daughter of DAVID MATTHEWS and DELILAH CLARKE. She was born Private.

More About NEWTON EUGENE TATE:
Occupation: Farmer and Mechanic

Child of NEWTON TATE and MARY MATTHEWS is:
520. i. NEWTON (SONNY) EARLE8 TATE, b. Private.

334. BILLIE LOUISE7 TATE (NEWTON EVERETT6, PHILANDER (PHIL) MARION5, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born Private. She married EDWARD MARTIN Private. He was born Private.

Children of BILLIE TATE and EDWARD MARTIN are:
i. KAY8 MARTIN, b. Private.
521. ii. GAIL SUE MARTIN, b. Private.
522. iii. BILLIE DEE MARTIN, b. Private.
335. WALTER KENNETH7 TATE (NEWTON EVERETT6, PHILANDER (PHIL) MARION5, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born 1924 in Bluejacket, OK, and died January 1989 in Vinita, OK. He married BETTY LESTER Private. She was born Private.

More About WALTER KENNETH TATE:
Military service: U. S. Navy, served in World War II, Pacific Theatre, Seaman 1st. Class.
Occupation: Foreman, OK Natural Gas Company

Child of WALTER TATE and BETTY LESTER is:
i. BARBARA8 TATE, b. Private.

336. EDITH KARLENE7 TATE (NEWTON EVERETT6, PHILANDER (PHIL) MARION5, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born Private. She married (1) LILLARD THURMAN PATRICK Private. He was born Private. She married (2) LESTER HERLIN CLOUSE Private. He was born Private.

Children of EDITH TATE and LILLARD PATRICK are:
i. RUSSELL KEVIN8 PATRICK, b. Private.
ii. SANDRA SHAWNE PATRICK, b. Private; m. CALVIN SHARP, Private; b. Private.

337. LEE ORA7 BOYLES (STANLEY6, JULIA A.5 TATE, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born Private. She married FLOYD STATTS Private. He was born Private.

Children of LEE BOYLES and FLOYD STATTS are:
i. JOHN8 STATTS, b. Private.
ii. CRAIG STATTS, b. Private.

338. STEPHEN7 BOYLES (STANLEY6, JULIA A.5 TATE, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born Private.

Child of STEPHEN BOYLES is:
i. CARYN ANN8 BOYLES, b. Private.

339. JOSEPH OWEN7 BOYLES (OWEN6, JULIA A.5 TATE, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born Private. He married M. KATHRYN KIRKS Private. She was born Private.

Child of JOSEPH BOYLES and M. KIRKS is:
i. VICKI8 BOYLES, b. Private.

340. IOLA RUTH7 WILKINS (JESSIE6 BOYLES, JULIA A.5 TATE, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born Private. She married RUDOLPH HEINRICH POEBEL Private, son of (?) POEBEL and FREDRICKA. He was born Private.

Child of IOLA WILKINS and RUDOLPH POEBEL is:
i. FREDRICKA (RIKA)8 POEBEL, b. Private.

341. CHARLES DAVID7 WILKINS (JESSIE6 BOYLES, JULIA A.5 TATE, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born Private.

Child of CHARLES DAVID WILKINS is:
i. AMY8 WILKINS, b. Private.
342. DANIEL BEATTY7 WILKINS (JESSIE6 BOYLES, JULIA A.5 TATE, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born July 09, 1920 in Chicago, IL, and died January 1986 in Rockford, Winnebago, IL. He married MARY ELIZABETH (MAUREEN) HEALY Private, daughter of PATRICK HEALY and SARAH DOYLE. She was born Private.

More About DANIEL BEATTY WILKINS:
Namesake: 1920, Named for Dan Beatty, founder of the Dan Beatty Rescue Mission at 14th and Wabash, Chicago, IL; the mission was affiliated with the First Methodist Church.
Social Security Number: 329-18-6368

Children of DANIEL WILKINS and MARY HEALY are:
i. PATRICIA EILEEN8 WILKINS, b. Private.
ii. DANNA BERNIECE WILKINS, b. Private; m. GEORGE SINK, Private; b. Private.
iii. MICHAEL DAVID WILKINS, b. October 09, 1949; d. October 09, 1949, Buried in Davis, IL.
iv. MICHAEL B. WILKINS, b. March 08, 1952; d. March 08, 1952, Buried in Davis, IL.

More About MICHAEL B. WILKINS:
Namesake: Maureen's brother Michael

343. WILLIAM WARREN DIXON7 WILKINS (JESSIE6 BOYLES, JULIA A.5 TATE, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born August 27, 1922 in Cook County Hospital, Chicago, IL, and died July 31, 1990 in Savanna City Hospital, Savanna, IL. He married MARIAN ELIZABETH (TWIN) RAETZ Private. She was born Private.

Notes for WILLIAM WARREN DIXON WILKINS:
Excerpt from the Davis Leader, January 23, 1930

Davis, Jan. 23-"Mr. and Mrs. Sam Goeke have taken 2 young boys to raise."

(I found this interesting because one of those boys, Bill, became my brother-in-law in 1947. Bill and Dan Wilkins were foster children on the farm where Lake Summerset is today. Bill would have been 7 years old and Dan would have been 9 at that time. Bill died in 1990 at age 67 and Dan died in 1985 at age 65. Sam and Martha (Miller) Goeke moved from the farm to Dr. Abram Wilson's Davis home in 1939 after the doctor died.)
Researcher: Gary Raetz
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Served in the USMC from 9/20/1940 to 11/1945. Primarily served in Asiatic Pacific Area. He participated in action against the enemy at Peleliu, Palau Island 9/06/44 - 10/14/44. He participated in the defense of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. His weapons qualifications included Rifle MM,, 11/08/40, Pistol, MM 10/30/40 and Bayonet 10/1040. He was honorably discharged from the Marine Separation Center Naval Training Center , Great Lakes, IL on November 5, 1945.

The Department of the Navy advised him by a letter dated September 15, 1953 that he was entitled to the following awards for service in the U. S. Marine Corps:
Good Conduct Medal for Service 1940 - 1945
American Defense Service Medal with Base clasp
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
American Campaign Medal
Victory Medal World War II

He was authorized to wear two bronze stars in connection with the above mentioned Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal for participation i the Pearl Harbor-Midway and Western Caroline Islands Operations.

He held the rank of Sergeant at the time of discharge.
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Savanna Times Journal, Savanna, Carroll County, IL, Tuesday, December 8, 1987
Front Page, Six columns above the fold, continued for six columns on page 16 - reading as follows:

You Should Forgive, But Can You Forget?

For most people, December 7, is just another day in the year or it means that there are 18 more shopping days until Christmas.

But, for a small group of people, and especially one Savanna resident, December 7 means more, much more, than that.

Bill Wilkins, 65, was on guard duty December 7, 1941, at post 81, just off the U. S. Battleship Arizona, In Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked.

"When the first bomb went off on Ford Island, it just blew up dirt. I thought it was the Army Air Corps playing around," he remembers. "Then the others started going off and I saw the planes, then I knew something more was happening".

Wilkins, who was in the 3rd Defense Battalion at Pearl Harbor, said that at the time, every soldier, sailor and Marine knew they would be going to war against Japan.

We were at Midway Island about eight months prior to that, fortifying that island for war," he said. After completing the task at Midway, the group headed to Pearl Harbor, where they had a great bit party. He said they had what they called "a battle of bands" between the services.

"I got to see the show every night except the last one, December 6, because I had guard duty that night," he said. "The next morning as the colors had played, I stood and presented arms to the flag, then the first bomb went off." (It was 7:55 A.M.)

After that, I was on guard duty for 72 hours straight with no food or water," he remembers. He said they couldn't get any food or water because everything was so chaotic after the attack.

We (the soldiers) felt there could be an attack at Pearl," he remembers. "But, the government made us concentrate on Midway. I don't think they (upper military command) thought the Japanese had enough guts to attack Pearl Harbor."

Wilkins remembers all too well the feeling of sitting at his guard post with bombs and explosions going off all around him. At one point he had five rounds of rifle ammunition left, but he shot those at a Japanese torpedo plane.

"Then I thought to myself, 'Now, I'm out of ammunition. What if the Japs send in paratroopers,'" he said. Those paratroopers never came and a sergeant who came by later replenished Wilkins' ammunition supply.

After the attack at Pearl Harbor, Wilkins' outfit was sent to Hickam Field to set up gun positions, but soon after they got the positions set, they got travel orders.

We weren't out of Pearl 20 minutes before we saw our first Japanese submarine," he said.

Wilkins didn't spend his entire service time at Pearl Harbor. He served two tours of duty in the Pacific Theater during World War II, because he and another group of soldiers couldn't stand being back in the states.

"There was a group of 17 of us that were sent back to the United States, but we couldn't stand it," he said. "We wanted to fight the Japanese, so we all volunteered for another tour of duty."

That second tour of duty put him in the midst of probably one of the bloodiest battles of World War II in the Pacific, the battle to gain control of Peleliu Island, east of Japan.

Wilkins remembers that naval intelligence had told them that they could get the beachhead formed in 30 hours and take control of the island in 72 hours. Thirty days later they had the beachhead formed and in 72 days, Peleliu was controlled by the United States.

"What they didn't know was that the Japanese had troops on Babelthaupe Island to replenish the ones we would kill day after day," Wilkins said. He said the Japanese troops would wade from Babelthaupe to Peleliu during low tide at night. "Once we got control of the airfield on Peleliu, we were able to bomb Babelthaupe constantly so we could take control of the island," he said.

Wilkins and his wife, Marian, went back to Pearl Harbor in the mid 1970's to visit. "While on a tour of Pearl, the guide asked me to give a dissertation of what had happened. I did pretty good until we came upon the Arizona," he said. "I don't expect to go back to Pearl Harbor."

Not only do memories, especially those of this nature, die hard, but so do the feelings toward the people that were once the enemies of America.

"I personally feel bad about seeing the Arizona as a memorial and allowing the Japanese people step foot on it." He said. "I don't think it's right."

"They say you are supposed to forgive the Japanese for what they did, but how can you forget what they did," he said. "We were attacked without a declaration of war."

Wilkins now belongs to a group of people who are linked to Pearl Harbor, the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. They meet once a year in the Quad Cities; this year in East Moline Wilkins has been the commander of the group three times.

"One of the responsibilities of the commander is to keep the "last bottle", this is a memorial to those survivors of Pearl who have now died" he said.

Wilkins has a last bottle in his home, but rarely talks about it. "When people see it, they know what it means," he said.

After being in heavy battle during World War II, Wilkins has some strong feelings for the soldiers that fought in Korea and Vietnam.
"In World War II, we were dedicated soldiers, sailors and Marines, dedicated to winning the war," he said. "When you go to war, you have to know your enemy."

When the conflict in Korea broke out, he sort of accepted it. He sort of accepted Vietnam, in the beginning. "When I found out they couldn't win in Vietnam, I feel it shouldn't have happened in the first place."

Wilkins said he has a great deal of respect for the veterans of Vietnam. "I think the problem prevalent with Vietnam veterans and their lack of recognition is the fact that they weren't allowed to win the war. In World Wars I and II, we had a victory, Vietnam wasn't allowed to have one," he said.

Wilkins was on hand for a special viewing of the movie, "Toro, Toro, Toro," when it was first released. "They showed it to a group of Pearl Harbor survivors in the Quad Cities," he said. He also said that most of the group found the movie to be very accurate in what happened at Pearl.

After seeing the movie, he still couldn't figure out, after all those years, how the Japanese were able to attack Pearl Harbor the way they did.

It wasn't until he read the book, "We Awoke at Dawn," that he finally figured out what had happened, although he still doesn't understand all of it. He even wrote a small passage on the inside cover of the book explaining his feeling of the whole attack. Among those feelings is the court-martial of an admiral and a general who were in command at the time of the attack.

To this day, he still sits with his back against a wall. "I can't stand the thought of anyone attacking me from behind," he said.

Although he has been going to the survivor's reunions for years, they're still not easy to attend. "At first, the reunions were tough. We did not take our wives or any guests and the tension was very high," he said. "Now, we can take our wives or a guest, but that doesn't make it any easier."

Through his actions at Pearl Harbor and the battle for Peleliu, Wilkins has received a Presidential Commendation and seven medals, including two bronze stars. He also recently received a letter from Illinois Governor James R. Thompson in recognition for his service in Pearl Harbor. That letter came almost 46 years after the attack.

"I don't like to dwell on being a hero," he said. "I was a fighting Marine with a job to do and I did it."

More About WILLIAM WARREN DIXON WILKINS:
Burial: Unknown, Ashes scattered in Pin Oak Lake, Mississippi River, North of Savanna, IL
Cause of Death: Massive Internal Bleeding
Cremation: August 02, 1990, Sterling-Wilbert Crematory, Sterling, IL
Foster Child: Samuel and Martha Goeke, Davis, IL
Medical Information: Generalized AtherosclerosisLeft Leg amputated from mid-calf down
Military service: Bet. September 1940 - November 1945, WW2 - USMC
Namesake: William Warren Dixon, wealthy Chicago attorney and elder at 1st Methodist Church at Clark and Washington.
Occupation: Bet. 1957 - 1985, Owner and Operator of Culligan Softwater in Mt. Carrol, IL
Property: 254 North Loop Road, Savanna, IL; 7 acres
Religion: Episcopalian
Social Security Number: 329-18-6367

Children of WILLIAM WILKINS and MARIAN RAETZ are:
523. i. RICKI LYNN8 WILKINS, b. Private.
524. ii. BEVERLY GAY WILKINS, b. Private.
525. iii. STEVEN WILLIAM (TWIN) WILKINS, b. Private.
526. iv. MARK WARREN (TWIN) WILKINS, b. Private.

344. VIRGINIA KATHERINE7 WILKINS (JESSIE6 BOYLES, JULIA A.5 TATE, JAHIEL DOUGLAS4, ALEXANDER3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born Private. She married RAY REED Private. He was born Private.

Children of VIRGINIA WILKINS and RAY REED are:
527. i. JIMMIE JO8 REED, b. Private.
ii. SUE REED, b. Private; m. (?) IVANHOFF, Private; b. Private

345. LOUIE WALTER7 TATE (ELIAS P.6, JAMES (JIM) W.5, ROBERT H.4, JAMES (MAJOR)3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born September 11, 1880 in Grundy County, TN, and died 1966. He married SUSIE DICKERSON. She died Unknown.
Child of LOUIE TATE and SUSIE DICKERSON is:
528. i. MYRTLE ANNIE8 TATE, b. Private.

346. ROBERT EARNEST7 TATE (JOSEPH (HOODY)6, JAMES (JIM) W.5, ROBERT H.4, JAMES (MAJOR)3, ROBERT (JR.)2, ROBERT (SR.)1) was born December 07, 1896 in Mississippi County, MO, and died February 07, 1988. He married RESSIE EDITH HAITHCOAT November 25, 1917. She was born May 05, 1894, and died March 18, 1971.

Children of ROBERT TATE and RESSIE HAITHCOAT are:
529. i. ELZA8 TATE, b. Private.
ii. CORA TATE, b. July 31, 1920; d. October 16, 1933.
iii. CHARLES JOSEPH TATE, b. May 31, 1923; d. July 03, 1924.
530. iv. LAWRENCE CARL TATE, b. Private.
v. MARJORIE L. TATE, b. May 30, 1927; d. May 30, 1927.
vi. ROY LYNN TATE, b. July 15, 1929; d. July 15, 1929.
531. vii. MARTHA LUCILLE TATE, b. Private.
532. viii. BOBBIE JOE TATE, b. Private.