CAPT Bobby C. Wilks USCG (Ret.)

Foil: 5 Panel: 1 Column: 1 Line: 20

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Ms. Aida R. Wilkes

Born May 12, 1932 in St. Louis, MO. Received his Bachelor's Degree from Stowe-Harris Teachers College. Graduated Class President, President Alpha Phi Alpha under-grad chapter, President of the choir, captain of track team. Then he received his Master's Degree from University of Saint Louis.

Entered US Coast Guard, commissioned Ensign in Feb. 1956. Entered flight training at Pensacola, FL. and was designated Coast Guard Aviator 735 in March 1957.

Served in the following locations: San Francisco; Sangley Pt. PI; Coast Guard HQ, DC; Brooklyn, NY; Naples, Italy; Salem, MA; Honolulu, HI; Governors Is. NY; and Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) HQ, DC.

Flight hours: Over 6200, both rotary and fixed wing. Designated Flight Safety Officer. Instrument rated, both land and sea. Commercial license.

Aircraft flown: SNJ, SNB, PBM, T-28, H04S, H-34, HTL, S-76, H-3, HH52, HH53, P4Y, P5M, R5D, HU-16, C-123, TV-1, O-IA, Queen Air, Navion.

Retired July 1, 1986 with the rank of Ca;ptain after serving 30 years. Received the following honors and awards:
Navy Wings of Gold
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal
Commendation Medal
Commandant's Letter of Commendation
Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Unit Citation Medal
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Expert Rifle Medal
Expert Pistol Shot Medal

Bobby Wilks was the first Afro-American to be promoted to Captain since Michael Healy, who served in the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service (the precursor to the U.S. Coast Guard), during the 1890s. Captain Wilks was the first Afro-American Aviator and the first to become the Commanding Officer of a Coast Guard Air station (Brooklyn Air Station, from 1979 to 1982).

After leaving Brooklyn he was transferred to the FAA as a Special Staff Assistant, and was placed in charge of Helicopter Operations for the FAA's National Airspace Review. During this period Captain Wilks received the Commandant's Letter of Commendation and the Meritorious Service Medal.

Currently Captain Wilks is fully retired and is learning the game of golf. He and his wife, Aida, reside in Fairfax, VA. His only son is a computer specialist living in Silicon Valley, CA.