Wilbur A. Warnock, Jr. was born on October 19, 1917 in Hollister, San Benito County, California to Wilbur A. Warnock, Sr. and Eleanor Beatrice Warnock, nee Kirchhofer. Wilbur was the eldest son. His siblings were Alice, Eleanor, James, Dorothy, Frederick, Leonard Warnock. In 1920, the family lived in the community of San Juan in San Benito County, California, where Wilbur Sr. was a rancher and farmer. Sometime between 1935 and 1940, the family moved to a farm near Cowlitz Bend, Lewis County, Washington.

Wilbur Archibald Warnock, Jr. registered for the draft on October 16, 1940. He was 22 years old, 5’6” tall, and weighed 145 pounds. He had black hair, brown eyes, and a light complexion. He lived in Castle Rock, Lewis County and was working as a farmer.

Private Wilbur A. Warnock served in the United States Infantry; his unit is unknown. He was killed in action on December 1, 1944 in Germany. He had been overseas less than two months. Originally buried in Europe, his remains were returned to the States in 1947 and reinterred in the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California (Section D, Grave 573). He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smart phone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

SBTSProject/Washington/Cowlitz

Sources:

Findagrave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3645848/wilbur-archibald-warnock

The Californian (Salinas, California), 15 Jan 1945, Mon, Page 8, https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/518502221/?terms=%22wilbur%20%20Warnock%22&match=1

U.S. WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954, https://www.fold3.com/record/706684180/blank-us-wwii-hospital-admission-card-files-1942-1954

WWII Army and Army Air Force Casualty List, https://www.fold3.com/image/310763493?rec=299418899

1920 United States Federal Census, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/81911743:6061

1930 United States Federal Census, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/91794069:6224

1940 United States Federal Census, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/62394743:2442

National Cemetery Interment Control Forms, 1928-1962, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1872522:2590

World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/37241546:2238?tid=&pid=&queryId=e99f9c516c5ccd93a4093818b6e6b147&_phsrc=xOR57947&_phstart=successSource

Hilbur A Warnock