Mess Attendant Philip Livingston Wilkinson, A Sailor's Story
Mess Attendant Philip Livingston Wilkinson, A Sailor's Story
Mess Attendant Philip Livingston Wilkinson
Born November 25, 1955 - Died December 22, 1990
Born on November 25, 1955, in Nevis in the West Indies, Mess Attendant Philip Livingston Wilkinson came to the United States in August 1980 aboard the USS Constellation. Five years later, on October 5, 1985, he formally enlisted in the United States Navy and began a quiet career of service that would take him across multiple ships and into the heart of a growing global conflict.
Wilkinson served aboard the USS Caron and the USS Shasta before receiving orders to the USS Saratoga. In August 1990, as tensions in the Middle East escalated and the buildup for Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm began, the Saratoga deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of the U.S. naval force presence during the Gulf War.
Tragically, on December 22, 1990, while returning to the USS Saratoga from shore leave in Haifa, Israel, Wilkinson was aboard the ferry Tuvia when it sank. His life ended far from home during a deployment that symbolizes the sacrifices made not only in battle but also in the countless unseen moments surrounding service.
Mess Attendant Philip Livingston Wilkinson now rests at Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia, a peaceful resting place for a sailor whose story reminds us that service takes many forms, and valor often lives quietly in faithful daily duty.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller based in Tontitown, Arkansas.
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
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