Memorial

Biography

The following is written by J. Phillip Harris, a grand nephew of Philip M. Wilbern: His name was Philip Monroe Wilbern. He was known as "Pete". Pete was one of nine children of Edwin and Benna Wilbern. The four youngest brothers all had nicknames. Wilmer, Philip, Francis, and Hugh were known as "Dickie", "Pete", "Tootles" and "Taddy". They grew up on the old family farm on the banks of the James River at Blount Point in Warwick County, Virginia. My father was the only son of their oldest sister. He was about the same age as his "uncles" and spent most of his time with them. As all five came of age during World War II, one by one they entered the various branches of service until, by 1944, all five were on active duty somewhere. At the end of the war, four of them came home. Pete did not return. Notice was received that he had been killed in action just a few weeks prior to the surrender of Germany. Just a few months after the war's end, surviving brother Francis was killed, along with his new wife and in-laws in a tragic automobile accident. Both parents, Edwin and Benna Wilbern also died within the year after the war. With the surviving siblings struggling to re-establish their own lives, there was little that anyone could do to find out what had happened to Pete. All that was known was that he had been killed near Magdeburg, Germany while riding on a tank, and was buried at Margraten Cemetery in The Netherlands. In 1948, I was born and given the name "Phillip" in his honor. Through the years, the memory of "Pete" has remained in our family, however, no one ever visited Margraten or knew where to find any information about what had happened to him. Pete was inducted into the army in July 1944. By the time he went through basic and specialty training, and was transported to Europe, it was late November or early December of 1944. My father, who was on the front in eastern France, received a v-mail from him just before Christmas 1944. It was written in early December and Pete said he was near Paris, waiting for assignment. He was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 119th Infantry and joined the unit at their rest camp near Maastricht in mid December. Within days, on 16 December 1944, the Germans launched the offensive known as the Battle of the Bulge, and the 119th Infantry was immediately pulled south to counter attack the Germans in Belgium. They did not return to the Maastricht area until the end of January 1945. The unit as part of the 30th Division, XIX Corps, Ninth Army was heavily involved in the Roer offensive during February and March and finally crossed the Rhine at Wesel on 25 March 1945. They quickly made their way across central Germany as the German army began to disintegrate.

More information

Pfc Philip M. Wilbern enlisted in Richmond Virginia on 18 July 1944.