T4 John Oliver Wilson

courtesy Mike & Bushy Hartman

T4 John Oliver Wilson was born 27 Nov 1920 in Mineral Point, Pennsylvania. He was the only son and 2nd born of the 4 children of George Raymond and Frieda M. (Koenig) Wilson. His parent's first child had been born prematurely and died in infancy in July 1919. His father supported the family by driving a delivery truck for Yost & Son, a local bakery, earning a reported 1939 income of $1200. The family lived in a home they owned in Mineral Point which was valued at $1500. John graduated from high school and

John was drafted in October 1942. After his basic military training PVT Wilson was sent to England and assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 116th Infantry as a radio operator. He trained with this unit for the planned amphibious assault that was to be a part of the effort to liberate France. T5 Wilson was with the unit on D-Day, 6 Jun 1944. He was promoted to T4 on 20 Jun 1944 as the regiment received a number of replacements for the combat losses of the previous 14-days. T4 Wilson was killed in action on 17 Jul 1944. 

T4 Wilson is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery.