Bobby Whitaker
Bobby Gene Whitaker was born on July 15, 1933, in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, located in Cleveland County. He was the eldest son of Walter Plato Whitaker and Margaret Carpenter. According to records from the Department of Veteran Affairs, Whitaker enlisted in the Navy on November 14, 1951, and was discharged from the Navy on November 9, 1955. Whitaker spoke often regarding the time he spent aboard the USS Los Angeles.
On September 12, 1957, Whitaker was married to Gladys Conner. On August 29 the following year the couple welcomed their only child – a daughter, Tina.
Bobby Gene Whitaker passed away on April 3, 1982, at the age of 48. He was laid to rest at Mountain Rest Cemetery in Kings Mountain, North Carolina.
According to his widow, Gladys, Whitaker was a modest man who did not speak often about his experiences while in the navy. She described him as being extremely humble throughout his life. She also noted that he was proud to have served in the navy and even more proud when his younger brother, Jacky Dean Whitaker, joined the navy in 1958.
Bobby Whitaker’s military records were stolen from his widow’s home in 2016.
Korean War - Key Events
January 12, 1950
In a speech to the National Press Club, U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson outlines a U.S. Pacific defense posture that includes Japan and the Philippines but does not explicitly include Korea. In fact, he states that, “so far as the military security of other areas in the Pacific is concerned, it must be clear that no person can guarantee these areas against military attack.”
These events are taken from the Encyclopedia Britannica
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