Gunnery Sergeant John Wilson

About

John “Gunny” Wilson served as commander of the American Legion Post 952, was a firefighter for Hookstown Volunteer Fire Department and a veteran.

“There wasn’t something (going on) with the community, that he wouldn’t be involved in (or) help any possible way he could,” said Dakon Moore, a fellow firefighter and friend of Wilson’s. “(He’d) help anybody, anywhere, not just this community. (If) he found out somebody needed help, he was the guy that was there.”

“John deserves it, I mean, it’s a great loss for not just our post, but our community and his family,” said Michael Rounds, who serves on the American Legion board. “He’s going to be really missed and this (crowd of people) tells you how bad he’s going to be missed.”

While serving in the Marine Corps, Wilson was in a vehicle that hit a roadside bomb over ten years ago. Bryan Carpenter says he was the driver inside that vehicle, and Wilson was his commander, during the bombing. “We hit a roadside bomb right after midnight and it launched us in the air I guess and propelled us into the building,” Carpenter said. “I was unconscious right away, (Wilson had) a huge chunk out of his leg, broke his wrist (and was) still trying to run around and take care of us even injured real bad.”