WILHOITE-THOMAS

LOST  AT  SEA

Thomas Mack Wilhoite was born on February 12, 1921, in Guthrie, Kentucky.  He enlisted in the Naval Reserve on June 16, 1941, at Atlanta, Georgia, and received his aviation indoctrination training at the Naval Reserve Air Base in Atlanta.  On August 7, 1941, he reported for flight instruction at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, where he trained until transferring for advance training at the Naval Air Station, Miami, Florida, on January 15, 1942.  He became a Naval Aviator on February 6, 1942, and was commissioned an Ensign.  At the end of February he reported to the Advanced Carrier Training Group, Atlantic Fleet, at Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia, where he joined Fighter Squadron Nine (VF-9) which was then fitting out.  In time he became the Assistant Navigation Officer for the squadron. 

VF-9 was assigned to the USS RANGER (CV-4) and on November 8, 1942, each section of the squadron drew assignments in support of Operation Torch, the invasion of French North Africa.  ENS Wilhoite flew one of the five Grumman F4F-4 Wildcats which attacked the French airdrome at Rabat-Sale, the headquarters of the French air forces in Morocco.  Despite heavy antiaircraft fire, ENS Wilhoite pressed home a determined attack and set three French bombers afire with his guns.  Later that day, during a second strike directed at the Port Lyautey airdrome, ENS Wilhoite destroyed one fighter by strafing.  However, the Vichy French ground gunners intense flack managed to strike his Wildcat and it crashed with ENS Wilhoite onboard about one mile from Port Lyautey.  For displaying “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity” during the strikes at Rabat-Sale and Port Lyautey, ENS Wilhoite was posthumously awarded the Silver Star.  The accompanying citation cited his “superb airmanship and tenacious devotion to duty” in pressing home his strafing attacks.  He received praise for his part in the significant operations of VF-9 in neutralizing Vichy French air power that, if unhindered, could have severely hampered Operation Torch.

On December 16, 1943, the USS WILHOITE (DE-397) was launched in his honor and it proudly served until decommissioned and struck on July 2, 1969.

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)