Sgt. Maj. Ray Wilburn - U.S.M.C. - World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

[Thurman]

TWENTYNINE PALMS — The community lost an icon when Sgt. Maj. Ray Wilburn died Tuesday, Jan. 2. His death at age 98 came just a few days after he was placed into hospice care.

Wilburn’s daughter Sharon Kathleen Erdmann broke the news to the world via her Facebook page.

“It is with a heavy, broken heart that I tell you that my dad has passed away. It was peaceful and he was in no pain,” she wrote.

“He lived an amazing 98 years on this earth. My family could not be any prouder than we are. Sgt. Maj., USMC Ret. Ray V. Wilburn is an angel in heaven. God bless you Dad. Your family love you and will miss you so much.”

Wilburn was in the Marine Corps for 32 years, serving in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

“He was one of the most true Marines that ever was,” his wife, Irma Wilburn, said this week. “He loved the Marine Corps. He loved talking to the young Marines and telling them stories.”

Underweight, but tough as nails

Wilburn shared the story of his life in the Marine Corps in interviews and articles through the years.

Born on a cotton farm in Wolf City, Texas, on July 1, 1919, Wilburn spent two years in the Civilian Conservation Corps building fences and terraces for $5 a month. When he finished his time in the CCC in 1939, there was “no money, no jobs and no future,” he said. So Wilburn hitchhiked 75 miles to Dallas to join the Marine Corps.

“I didn’t have a dime in my pocket,” he said.

Since he had spent time on boxing and softball teams as well as the hard work in the CCC, he was toughened up.

“I was underweight, but I was hard as nails,” he told a Marine Corps reporter in 2006. “The recruiting officer said, ‘Take this one, all he needs is three meals a day to fatten him up.’”

Wilburn joined on Oct. 19, 1939, and went directly to San Diego for recruit training. By the outbreak of World War II, he had already made sergeant. He was assigned to 3rd Artillery Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, and landed on Gavutu, one of the Solomon Islands in Melanesia, on Aug. 8, 1942, where his battery fired the first offensive round against the Japanese.

“They miscalculated the occupancy of it and we went ashore and started getting hit real hard,” he once wrote.

From Gavutu, Wilburn was sent to Guadalcanal, but halfway there a Japanese destroyer hit them. Wilburn and the rest of the crew abandoned ship.

The crew did not have enough life jackets, so Wilburn gave his jacket away. He and a couple more Marines started gathering those remaining from the ship into a circle to keep track of them.

“You get in the water and you have to get your shoes and clothes off because it’ll pull you down,” he said. “We didn’t lose anyone. We were in the water probably three hours, and a Higgins boat came over from Guadalcanal and picked us up. Most of us had dog tags on, and that’s all we had on.”

After cleaning up and getting something to eat, they went to their cannons, already in position awaiting them. And then their day of firing began.

Wilburn was eventually sent to Nagasaki to join Gen. McArthur’s Repatriation Team. After the war, Wilburn’s battalion returned to Hawaii. He was down to 127 pounds after having malaria five times.

When the Korean War started, Wilburn was transferred to Camp Del Mar to set up a school to train Marines in artillery before sending them to Korea. After teaching seven courses, Wilburn received orders to Korea in 1951.

Attached to medical battalion in Vietnam

Wilburn spent most of his years in artillery, but he especially treasured his time attached to a medical unit, his wife said. “One of his most rewarding jobs was sergeant major of 1st Medical Battalion in Vietnam. There was so much that he could do to help.”

Wilburn arrived in Vietnam as a sergeant major with the 1st Medical Battalion in 1967. Capt. Jim Sharp was the commanding officer of the medical battalion, but he was also a surgeon, so he spent much of his time in the operating room and asked Wilburn to take over leadership duties.

“He’s one of the best sergeants major the Marines Corps ever had,” Sharp told a combat correspondent in 2006. “He was my best problem solver and my most reliable adviser. He’s been through a little bit of everything.”

The Viet Cong mortared the battalion nightly, leaving them to operate behind shaking walls in flak jackets and helmets.

Making a home in 29 Palms

Wilburn served four tours of duty on board the Twentynine Palms combat center, with his first one starting in December 1952.

He met Irma Kojundzich at a dance during one tour and the two were married on Easter Day 1957 in the Protestant chapel at the combat center.

“It was the best duty station. I requested it four times and got it each time,” he said in a 2012 interview. “My monitor called me one time and said, ‘What in God’s name are you doing requesting to stay in Twentynine Palms? I have to pay people to go there.’ I said, ‘Tell me a better place to shoot artillery and send me there.’”

The Wilburns loved the small community, and bought a house in 1969.

Wilburn retired in 1971 after 31 years, four months and 15 days on active duty.

“He loved the Marine Corps and he loved the desert and that’s where he chose to stay,” Irma Wilburn said this week.

Wilburn worked as the advertising manager at The Desert Trail from 1972 to 1976.

“I didn’t know what I was doing, but I had fun doing it,” he said in an interview for his 95th birthday in June 2014.

He made his business calls in person, not by phone. “Harder for ’em to say ‘no’ that way,” he said with a satisfied smile.

“Ray was a beloved member of the Hi-Desert Publishing family as well as our community. He will be missed,” publisher Cindy Melland said.

Wilburn attributed his long life to physical activity and clean living. “I was in sports most of my life. I wasn’t good at any of ’em,” he added, “but I stayed active. Never smoked or drank.”

He spoke in a staccato East Texas accent, and was known never to use profanity. “He never let his troops use that kind of language,” Irma once explained, “so he didn’t use it.”

The sergeant major’s car always sported the customized plate “SMAJ DAD,” a birthday gift from the couple’s daughters, Sharon and Stephanie, who both married Marines.

Wilburn served as the grand marshal of the Veterans Day Parade in Yucca Valley in 2006 and attended every Marine Corps birthday ball except when he was overseas; he most recently celebrated his 78th Marine Corps ball.

Wilburn was honored as co-grand marshal of the Pioneer Days Parade in 2003. His fellow grand marshal was his friend, retired Marine Bill Bouldin.

“The sergeant major was one of the most dedicated Marines I have known,” Bouldin said this week.

“He was at every Marine Corps function, in full blues uniform, speaking to everyone by their first name,” he said.

“Always a sharp memory and great war stories. He could clearly tell you where he was during each day in the Pacific in World War II. He made every USMC birthday ball and was honored as the oldest Marine present cutting the first piece of cake. He is a Marine you will never forget.

“Irma, his dedicated wife and second in command, made sure he got to every event and was by his side throughout. She is as much a Marine as he was. I’m sure he will be in his Blues as he passes through the pearly gates.”

REST IN PEACE!

http://www.hidesertstar.com/the_desert_trail/news/article_281ba722-f0a5-11e7-81b7-af7ca99e8cff.html

 

 

[katieony]

RIP Marine!

[huntssurplus]

A great example of someone who did a lot more than their fair share when it came to serving their country. A true American hero, RIP!

Hunt

[sundance]

A Marine you're justifiably proud of and a true warrior. May he rest in peace.

[BagmanL6]

Semper Fidelis

[Raidercollector]

What a marine, Great tribute. RIP.