O. LAWTON “WILK” WILKERSON / Chicago Heights, IL
>>> VETERANS RELAY TEAM CAPTAIN

Lawton Wilkerson is a native of Chicago Heights and WWII veteran. Upon graduating from Bloom Township High School there, he went into the Army Air Force Aviation Cadet training program at Tuskegee Alabama where he got his commission as 2nd Lieutenant and “Wings” as a B-25 Pilot.

There were no pilot’s jobs for the Tuskegee Airmen, back in the day, so he worked a number of jobs including being an “on air personality” at WBEE Radio, before becoming Manager of Community Affairs at WMAQ, NBC Radio in Chicago. He is currently a member of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Country Club Hills and is active in the Chicago “DODO” Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.

Wilk is one of the diminishing number of “Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen” (DOTAs). At 89 he is unable to ride, but is excited about making the 21 day journey from Santa Monica to Chicago and helping coordinate the veteran relay team.