More detail on this person: Retired Lt. Col.
Henry Joseph Wilkins of Guyton, GA, died Sept. 14
at South Fulton Medical Center in Atlanta. He was
77. Wilkins was born in Savannah, GA. His family
later moved to their farm where he attended Guyton
Public School and graduated from Guyton High
School in 1944. In July 1944, he embarked on a
military career beginning as an Army private
serving in the South Pacific in World War II and
retiring after 26 years of service, having also
served in Korea and Vietnam.
He graduated from flight school with Class 54-D.
In Vietnam, he served with Headquarters and
Headquarters Company, 10th Combat Aviation
Battalion in 1966-67.
Wilkins was awarded numerous medals, including
the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal and the
Army Commendation Medal. After retiring from the
Army in 1970, he and his family moved back to the
family farm near Guyton where he raised cattle,
hogs and farmed row crops. Wilkins served as
Effingham County tax commissioner in 1985-95 and
was presented the Community Leader-ship Award
in 1989. Survivors include his wife, Marise Rahn
Wilkins; daughter, Susan Sykes of Tampa, FL; and
four sons, David Wilkins of Woodland, CA, Michael
Wilkins of Jacksonville, FL, Martin Wilkins of
Springfield and Barrie Wilkins of Warner Robins,
GA.
From an obituary in the September/October 2003
VHPA Newsletter.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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