Aboard the USS Yorktown

Posted on November 10, 2021

By ANGELA CASTELUCCI / Managing Editor

Olison “Olin” Wheeler was so eager to join the service that he “upped his age” and joined at 16 years old. “Well, he lied about his age, and joined the Navy. His brother was in the service, and he wanted to follow him,” says his wife of 60 years, Earlene Wheeler.

“He joined in August. The war started on Dec. 7 with the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and he turned 17 on Dec. 21. He came home only one time during the entire four and one-half years of his service,” she said. “He was always proud of his service. All of our veterans are heroes in my eyes.”

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