Babcock, Wilbur Dean

1922 - 1979  (56 years)

• Name	Babcock, Wilbur Dean
  Birth	21 Aug 1922  [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Reference Number	BABC.W001
  _FGRAVE	22447790
  Military Service	World War II, Sergeant, 437th Fighter Squadron, 414th Fighter Group, United States Army Air Forces  [3, 4, 5]
  	Enlisted and entered active service on November 21, 1941 at Tacoma, Washington. Completed basic training and qualified in the military occupational specialty of Radio Operator (756). Served with other stateside units until assigned to the 437tth Fighter Squadron, 414th Fighter Group, which was equipped with P-47 'Thunderbolt' aircraft and constituted on October 15, 1944. Departed the Continental U.S. on June 15, 1945 with his unit when it deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operations. Participated in the Western Pacific and Ryukyus Campaigns supporting air combat from bases on Guam and Iwo Jima under the direction of 20th Air Force. Earned The Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 2 bronze battle stars and the WWII Victory Medal. Honorably discharged as a Sergeant on December 9, 1945 at the Separation Center, Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Source: http://www.wwiimemorial.com/Registry/plaque.aspx?honoreeID=2011963
  		United States of America Flag, 48 Stars (1912-1959) In 1912, two stars were added to the United States flag, representing Arizona and New Mexico, bringing the total number of stars to 48. They were arranged in six rows of eight stars each. American fighting men would fight under this flag during four wars: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the beginning of the Vietnam War. (In 1959,…
  		United States Army Air Forces
  		United States Army Air Forces
  		Sergeant, United States Army and United States Army Air Fores (Sep 1942-Aug 1948) NOTE: The three stripe Sergeant Insignia was not used during the Korean War
  		United States Army Enlisted Rank Insignia
  		Military Service Ribbons, Babcock, Wilbur D. (1922-1979) Contributed by Carl Wayne Gray
  		Good Conduct Medal, United States Army
  		Good Conduct Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		American Defense Service Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		American Defense Service Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		American Campaign Medal, United States Military
  		American Campaign Medal, United States
  		Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		World War II Victory Medal, United States Military
  		World War II Victory Medal, United States Military
  		World War II (1939-1945)
  		Asiatic-Pacific Theater, World War II
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007 On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. …
  		World War II Honoree, Babcock, Wilbur D. (1922-1972)
  Death	13 May 1979  [1]
  Burial	Elmwood Cemetery, Flora, Clay County, Illinois   [1]
  		Headstone, Babcock, Dollie Marie and Wilbur Dean
  		Headstone, Babcock, Wilbur D. Displayed with permission of Lady in Black
  Person ID	I24972	Carl Wayne Gray Research
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Babcock, Gilbert Franklin,   b. 1876, Illinois d. 1963 (Age 87 years)
  Mother	Bingham, Sarah C.,   b. 1887, Illinois d. 1953 (Age 66 years)
  Marriage	Y  [2, 6]
  Family ID	F10854	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Winchester, Dollie Marie,   b. 22 Feb 1925   d. 27 Mar 2005 (Age 80 years)
  Marriage	17 Oct 1942	Alamogordo, Otero County, New Mexico
  Age at Marriage	He was 20 years and 2 months - She was 17 years and 8 months.
  Family ID	F10853	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	31 Jan 2023

  
  

• Event Map

  Burial - - Elmwood Cemetery, Flora, Clay County, Illinois  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S6954] http://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Babcock, Dollie Marie and Wilbur Dean, (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22447790/wilbur_d_-babcock) (Reliability: 2). [S1477] Ancestry.com, 1940 United States Federal Census, Stanford Township, Clay County, Illinois, (District 13-20), image 07, page 3b, (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2442/M-T0627-00769-00480?backurl=https%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fsearch%2fdb.as) (Reliability: 2). [S157] Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census, Noble (Township), Richland County, Illinois, District 0124, image 14, page 7b, (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/7602/4113797_00682?pid=12676779&backurl=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll). [S6776] World War II Honoree, Wilbur D. Babcock, (https://wwiiregistry.abmc.gov/honoree-plaque/?honoree_id=2011963) (Reliability: 2). [S6955] http://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Babcock, Wilbur D., (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=22447790) (Reliability: 2). [S13192] http://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Babcock, Gilbert F. and Sarah C., (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18782797/gilbert-f_-babcock), none. (Reliability: 2).