CW4 William Wheeler William Elmer "Unk" Wheeler served in the Kentucky National Guard from 5 August 1927 until 9 March 1973, a period of 46 years. He enlisted in HHB 1st Bn 138th Field Artillery Battalion, Louisville when they still had horse-drawn artillery with French 75 Millimeter guns.
He served on many significant state active duty missions before World War II including the Flood of 1937 as a Sergeant where he recalled loading barges on the flooded Shawnees Golf Course with tents, cots and blankets for Paducah and Memphis. He also served state active duty in the coal strikes and transported supplies and equipment from Louisville to the strike area in 1939.
His unit was called to active duty with the 138th Field Artillery Regiment on 17 January 1941 for one year training. Wheeler and his unit were first sent to Camp Shelby Mississippi and then to Camp Carrabelle Florida with maneuvers in Louisiana at Camp Livingston and on to Oahu, Hawaii. His unit was converted to Headquarters Battery of the 138th Field Artillery Battalion and he was then a Master Sergeant. He fought in the Pacific Theater of Operations in the New Guinea, Leyete and Luzon Philippines Campaigns. He was not released from active duty until 19 December 1945, some 60 months later. He served as the Battalion Sergeant Major.
After being released from active duty Wheeler rejoined the Kentucky National Guard as a Staff Sergeant in the State Headquarters on 1 November 1946. Wheeler Was commissioned a Warrant Officer Jr. Grade (W1) on 29 June 1948 and assigned Supply Officer with Service Battery 452d AFA Bn. Was promoted CW2 on 30 June 1950, and to CW4 on 21 August 1950.
He worked full-time for the Kentucky Army National Guard as a technician for the United States Property and Fiscal Office. When he retired on the 9 March 1973 he was working as a supervisory accounting technician and assigned to the state headquarters.
His awards and decorations include: Bronze Star, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal, Kentucky Merit Award, Kentucky National Guard 30 year service ribbon, American Defense Medal, American Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
When he enlisted in the Kentucky National Guard in 1927 he listed his birth date as 9 March 1909, but in March of 1968, he corrected his military records to show that he was actually born 9 March 1913. When he enlisted in the Guard he was only 14 years old. Wheeler passed away on December 18, 2000.
Courtesy Eva Lynn Wheeler Mills and COL (R) Armando Alfaro