Memorial

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2nd Lt Charles E. Wilkes graduated from West End High School and attended the University of Tennessee.

He enlisted In December 1941 and was sent overseas in October 1942.

Per Major H.M. Light, "The airplane that I was on did not get any major flak damage and the pilot, Lt John H. Diehl, spotted Lt Oliphant and slowed up for him, as well another ship piloted by Capt Thomas Cramer, who a few minutes later managed to crash-land his plane on the British beach. Lt Oliphant was slowly losing altitude when coming off target. Then, all of a sudden, several FW-190s came out of the sun and started in on us. The sun blinded and hindered our gunners from firing. I operated my nose gun and only got about 3 bursts at them. My navigator, Lt George Kelley, only got off about the same number of shots with his side nose gun. The Jerries did a good job because they had us completely bewildered. On the first pass they got one of Cramer's engines; on the second pass they got another of his engines and set fire to one of Oliphant's. Then, on subsequent passes, the enemy fighters got a third engine on fire on Cramer's and another on Oliphant's.

At about halfway between France and England, while still over the Channel, I noticed the engines afire on the left side of Oliphant's aircraft, and I also saw the nose of that ship filled with swirling flames. Then it looked like the fire swept back to the cockpit. Next thing I saw was the ship going down towards the sea. I did not see the plane strike the water, but our tail gunner, Sgt Milford Spears, stated over the interphone that the plane exploded as it hit the water. I did not see any chutes.