Collection

Civilians

Civilian personnel and organizations.

Words shorter than three characters are ignored. Every remaining word must match somewhere in the record.
Showing 4,251–4,300
LastnameFirstnameMidnameOrganizationMajorofficeBorndateDieddateRemark
WingroveErnestMerchant Marine
Korean War Dec 1950, SS Meredith Victory (qv) as Deck Utili…
Korean War Dec 1950, SS Meredith Victory (qv) as Deck Utility
WinnJosephThomasMerchant Marine1943-02-17 00:00:00.000
WW II Merchant Marine SS Atlantic Sun as Wiper Killed Feb…
WW II Merchant Marine SS Atlantic Sun as Wiper Killed Feb 17 1943 DE
WinstonDavidRobertMerchant Marine1942-06-15 00:00:00.000
WW II Merchant Marine aboard SS Tillie Lykes as Able Bodied…
WW II Merchant Marine aboard SS Tillie Lykes as Able Bodied Seaman LA
WinterDonaldCSecretary of the Navy
Graduated University of Rochester 1969 Became 74th Secretar…
Graduated University of Rochester 1969 Became 74th Secretary of the Navy January 3 2006
WinterRobertKMerchant Marine1945-04-09 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine aboard SS Saint Mihiel as Chief Cook
WintersBenAlbertMerchant Marine1941-12-20 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine aboard SS Emidio as 3rd Engineer WI
WischebrinkOrrenPortalMerchant Marine1943-02-05 00:00:00.000
WW II Merchant Marine SS West Portal as Radio Officer Kil…
WW II Merchant Marine SS West Portal as Radio Officer Killed Feb 5 1943 NY
WiseLucileWASPII Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP)
WishartCharlesAllenMerchant Marine1944-02-06 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine Died in service MT
WitsellJohnThomson1945-04-30 00:00:00.000WW II Died while in service as a civilian SC
WolcottOliverSecretary of the Treasury
Born 1760 Succeeded Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of Trea…
Born 1760 Succeeded Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of Treasury Served 1795-1800 Governor of CT 1817-1927 Died 1833 Son of Oliver Wolcott who signed Declaration of Independence as member of Continental Congress See Revenue Cutter Alexander Wolcott and Liberty Ship Alexander Wolcott
WolfeDaleEMerchant Marine1928-01-08 00:00:00.0002009-09-28 00:00:00.000
WW II Korean War Merchant Marine Also served in Army Bur…
WW II Korean War Merchant Marine Also served in Army Buried in MN
WolfeEamanEugeneMerchant Marine1917-04-26 00:00:00.0002002-05-19 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine as S1c Buried in WV
WolfeLeslie1945-03-26 00:00:00.000WW II Died while in service as a civilian OH
WolffBernhardMerchant Marine1944-02-26 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine Died in service IN
WolfowitzPaulDeputy Secretary of Defense
Ambassador to Indonesia Deputy Secretary of Defense, 2001--…
Ambassador to Indonesia Deputy Secretary of Defense, 2001--2005 President of World Bank 2005
WoltjenAlfredPMerchant Marine1943-05-22 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine Died in service NJ
WongLoretta1946-05-18 00:00:00.000WW II Died in service HI
WoodBettyTaylor1943-09-09 00:00:00.000
WW II Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) Killed in servic…
WW II Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) Killed in service
WoodBruceTuftsPublic Health Service1929-07-26 00:00:00.0002001-05-28 00:00:00.000
U.S. Public Health Service as CPT Korean War Also served i…
U.S. Public Health Service as CPT Korean War Also served in Army, qv Buried in GA
WoodCharlesBarclayMerchant Marine1918-09-14 00:00:00.0001990-06-08 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine Buried in CA
WoodFletcherH1945-01-06 00:00:00.000WW II Died while in service as a civilian NY
WoodFrankBMerchant Marine
WW II Merchant Marine SS Fort Lee as Able Bodied Seaman. S…
WW II Merchant Marine SS Fort Lee as Able Bodied Seaman. Survived the sinking of his ship November 2 1944, but lost with other survivors in his lifeboat. SC
WoodJeanneMRed Cross
WW II 339th Fighter Group as civilian Assistant Red Cross D…
WW II 339th Fighter Group as civilian Assistant Red Cross Director
WoodburyLeviU.S. Supreme Court1789-12-22 00:00:00.0001851-09-04 00:00:00.000
Graduated Dartmouth college 1809 1822-1824, Governor of New…
Graduated Dartmouth college 1809 1822-1824, Governor of New Hampshire U.S. Senate 1825-31 Secretary of the Navy 1831-34 U.S. Senate 1841-1845 U.S. Supreme Court 1845 until his death in 1851 See Revenue Cutter Woodbury (sometimes called Levi Woodbury) of 1837, steampowered Revenue Cutter Levi Woodbury/Woodbury (ex-Mahoning) of 1864, and Destroyer No. 309/DD-309 (Woodbury)
WoodlandJamesE1946-06-02 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine Died in service KS
WoodringHarryHSecretary of WarSecretary of War Sep 25 1936-Jun 20 1940 KS
WoodruffCarlWMerchant Marine1923-10-12 00:00:00.0002000-05-15 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine Buried in IN
WoodsBernardRobertMerchant Marine1925-10-10 00:00:00.0002011-04-05 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine Buried in WV
WoodsBurnilEMerchant Marine1917-10-23 00:00:00.0002003-11-14 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine Buried in WI
WoodsCharles1943-10-07 00:00:00.000WW II Died in service as a civilian CA
WoodsWilliamRoyMerchant Marine1945-12-19 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine Died in service NC
WoodwardCharlesMMerchant Marine1926-01-30 00:00:00.0002000-09-28 00:00:00.000WW II Buried in MA
WoodwardGeorgeL1943-01-12 00:00:00.000WW II Died while in service as a civilian OR
WoodwardHarryLeeMerchant Marine1921-07-23 00:00:00.0001998-09-29 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marinee Buried in GA
WoosterMarshallLMerchant Marine1944-08-18 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine Died in service VT
WrightAndrewArmy1865-08-29 00:00:00.000Civil War U.S. Army employee Buried in AR
WrightCharles1864-08-04 00:00:00.000Civil War Civilian Teamster Buried in GA-Andersonville
WrightCharlesMorgan, Jr.Merchant Marine1926-06-17 00:00:00.0002007-04-07 00:00:00.000WW II Merchant Marine Buried in HI
WrightLukeESecretary of WarSecretary of War, Jul 1 1908-Mar 11 1909
WrightOrvilleAircraft pioneer1871-08-19 00:00:00.0001948-01-30 00:00:00.000One of "Wright brothers", aircraft pioneers
WrightWilburAircraft pioneer1867-04-16 00:00:00.0001912-05-30 00:00:00.000One of "Wright brothers", aircraft pioneers
WulfPaulR.Merchant Marine1943-01-01 00:00:00.000
WW II Merchant Marine SS Arthur Middleton as 1st Engineer …
WW II Merchant Marine SS Arthur Middleton as 1st Engineer Killed when his ship was sunk
WynneMichaelW
Became Secretary of the Air Force Nov 2005 Fired (technical…
Became Secretary of the Air Force Nov 2005 Fired (technically he resigned) June 5 2008, along with Air Force Chief of Staff Moseley, by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, for failure to deal with various scandals and sloppy performance within the Air Force
XenosSteveGMerchant MarineKorean War Dec 1950, SS Meredith Victory (qv) as Oiler
YakonisAnthonyCharlesMerchant Marine1943-02-03 00:00:00.000
WW II Merchant Marine SS Dorchester as Ordinary Seaman PA…
WW II Merchant Marine SS Dorchester as Ordinary Seaman PA-Philadelphia
YardeWillardDonaghMerchant Marine1943-09-15 00:00:00.000
WW II Merchant Marine SS James W. Marshall as Galleyman K…
WW II Merchant Marine SS James W. Marshall as Galleyman Killed Sep 15 1943 IL
YardleyHerbertOsborneCryptographer1889-04-13 00:00:00.000
Pioneer cryptographer Chief of code and cipher analyses for…
Pioneer cryptographer Chief of code and cipher analyses for War Department before, during, and after WW I - (Commissioned in Army during WW I -)
YatesVirginiaHWASPWW II Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)
YbarlauCarlosMerchant Marine1943-01-09 00:00:00.000
WW II Merchant Marine SS Louise Lykes as Messman Killed J…
WW II Merchant Marine SS Louise Lykes as Messman Killed Jan 9 1943 NY-Bronx
Background and Sources Collection notes, historical context, and related resources

The civilian persons associated with the various U.S. war efforts and the Defense Department and its predecessor organizations include a wide variety of people. At the top are the Secretaries of the various departments and going from there are people who manned the Merchant Marine, the WASPs (see below), and many others, singly or as members of groups.

The database table behind this page lists some of the civilians who have been involved with the military in some way, including some who have had ships named for them. Quite a few of the Merchant Marines are included.

Significant groups, and sources for them, are as follows.

Merchant Marine

The largest single group of such civilians is probably the Merchant Marine in World War II, about 215,000 men. Of these, over 9,000 lost their lives because of the great danger they faced, primarily from German submarines, and especially in the early months of the war. Another 11,000 were wounded. Of 718 who were taken prisoner of war, only 620 returned. Records of all who served apparently have not survived. At least I haven’t found any sources of them. However, information about those who died in Merchant Marine service may be found at the Merchant Marine site.

Women’s Airforce Service Pilots

Another important but often forgotten group in World War II was the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs), 1,074 females who served as ferry pilots to free male pilots for combat duty. 38 of those women pilots died in that service. The names of those women may be found listed at the WASP list.