Never forgotten
Local World War II Veteran Claude Wilson passes away
Local World War II Veteran Claude Forest Wilson has passed away. He was 97 years old.
Wilson was born in Wirt, Oklahoma on September 19, 1922. After his family lost their farm during the Great Depression, they moved to California and settled in Lindsay. Along their journey to California, the Wilson family found work picking fruit in Northern California and Oregon. Fruit pickers back then were known as “fruit tramps”, and the Wilson family lived a life that resembled John Steinback’s “The Grapes of Wrath”.
Wilson lived a majority of his life in Lindsay, in the same house on Denver Court. Soon after moving to Lindsay, Wilson was enlisted into the military where he faithfully served his country. Wilson was a Staff Sergeant in the 36th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army during world War II from December 1942 to January 1946. He received the Bronze Star, World War II Victory Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge and numerous other prestigious awards. Wilson fought in several key battles, including Ardennes, also known as the Battle of the Bulge, Rhineland and Central Europe. In honor of his service, Wilson has
a military banner that is displayed on Main Street in Porterville.
Wilson had a photographic memory, and because of this, among other things, he was of great use to his fellow service men. He loved to recount the many events of war, and later in his life, he loved to share these memories with his family. It has been said that Wilson could recite the names and hometowns of his military division, and recalled daily events from his time at war.
Wilson would speak of his time as the radio operator. While no one in his division knew how to operate the radio, Wilson was handed the operation manual, which he stayed up all night memorizing. The next day, Wilson became the radio operator, responsible for all communication in the field.
After returning from the war, Wilson landed in New York and had to find his own way back to Lindsay. Upon returning to Lindsay, he began work at Lindsay Fruit Association, where he quickly became the head accountant. He spent the next 50 years of his life with the company.
Wilson was said to be a family man, and although he was never married, he devoted his spare time to family, attending many Lindsay High School football games and family gatherings. He also loved to travel. Wilson took yearly vacations with his sister Francis, and traveled throughout the United States. He often ended up back in Oklahoma visiting extended family.
Wilson loved to take pictures. He was deemed the family photographer, capturing many family gatherings, and saved his collection of slides, reelto-reel film and still life photography. He loved to research history and the genealogy of his family. He used to recount how his grandfather came to America on a ship with a single trunk full of possessions.
His family says that Wilson was the family gem. He was fiercely independent, and lived alone until the age of 93. He was well loved and taken care of by his niece Patricia and his long time and his longtime doctor, Bruce Hall.
Wilson outlived many of his family members, including his parents John and Mary Wilson, but leaves behind many other family members who will dearly miss him.
A private graveside service was held on Wednesday morning at the Lindsay-strathmore Cemetery. Members from the California State Honor Guard were in attendance to perform a traditional flag folding ceremony, as well as play TAPS on the trumpet, in honor of the World War II Veteran who was laid to rest.