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BM1 Wilbur Wright Dear
 Record NO: (182)
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Rank / Rate BM1 War of Service WWII Date of birth No Date Place of birth / home town LIMA Family Members Mother: Mrs. Olive Dear 631 N. Jackson St. Lima. High School Central High School Enlistment Date Branch Navy Service Number 2794361 Unit / Ship / duty Station USS Helena CL50 (Light Cruiser) Date of Casuality Jul 06, 1943 Cause of Death or Status MIA / KIA Place of Incident South Pacific Place of Burial or Memorial LOST AT SEA Awards ★ Purple Heart, ★ World War II Victory Medal, ★ Combat Action Ribbon, ★ American Campaign Medal, ★ Navy Presidential Unit Citation, ★ Navy Good Conduct Medal, ★ Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, ★ Navy Expeditionary Medal  |
| Wilbur Wright Dear, Boatswains Mate 1st Class Pettey Officer who had been in the U,S, Navy for 11 years and had survived the Japaneseattack of Pearl Harbor in December 1941, has been reported missing in action in the Southwest Pacific area. He was the son of Mrs.. Olive Dear oof 631 N. Jackson St. (Lima, Ohio) He was a gun captain serving on the U.S.S. Helena which was reported sunk July 6 (1943) in the battle of Kula Gulf. During the Pearl Harbor attack, Dear suffered shrapnel cuts to the face. Out of a crew of almost 1,200, 168 men were killed, either during the battle or while the men were adrift. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/w/war-damage-reports/uss-helena-cl50-war-damage-report-no43.html |
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Wilbur W Dear is buried or memorialized at Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines. This is an American Battle Monuments Commission location. |
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