By Deborah Larsen
Milton Earl Wilcox
Milton Earl Wilcox was born in Rochester, Michigan, on June 11, 1920, the son of Fred and Lyda Lovell Wilcox. Milton attended Rochester High School and graduated in the class of 1938. After high school, he was employed at National Twist Drill & Tool Company in Avon Township.
In September 1943, Milton enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 165th Infantry Regiment of the 27th Infantry Division. His unit was sent to the Pacific Theater, and he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action during the capture of Okinawa on May 1, 1945. Milton was released from military service in January 1946.
After the war, Milton worked as a traveling salesman and eventually settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Milton Earl Wilcox died at age 58 on October 21, 1978, and was laid to rest in Grand Rapids, Michigan.