Tyrell S. Wilson Jr. - U.S. Army Air Force 1943-45

Tyrell S. Wilson Jr.

U.S. Army Air Force 1943-45

In Memory of Tyrell S. Wilson Jr. May 20th, 1923 - July 27th, 2016 Tyrell S. Wilson Jr. was born in Sydenham Hospital in Harlem New York on May 20th 1923. After a short stay in Manhattan the family moved to the South Bronx where he attended PS 48. In 1941 the family moved to the community of Gordon Heights on Long Island. He was drafted into the armed forces in January 1943 and served as a heavy equipment operator with the 828th Army Air Force Engineers. His outfit built airstrips and roads throughout the South Pacific until the end of the war. After he was discharged from military service in December 1945 he returned to Gordon Heights got married and raised his family. During this time he worked for Republic Aviation as a machinist for 13 years and later retired from Brookhaven National Laboratory as a firemen.

This story was recorded and edited by Tyrell's son Russell G. Wilson