Captain Wilbur served in the U.S. Navy for 35 years as a Naval Aviator, Combat Artist, writer, editor of Naval Aviation News magazine and Head of Naval Aviation Periodicals and History.
He joined the Navy under the Flying Midshipman program and attended Villanova University for two years. Wilbur then reported to Pensacola, FL for flight training, and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1950. He chose the night-attack mission flying and flew with VC-33 and VX-3 (Special Weapons), flying the AD-4N Skyraider and F3D Skyknight. He later flew with VS-26 and was a plank owner (initial member) in VRC-40, flying the TF-1 (later designated the C-1A Trader), a carrier onboard delivery (COD) aircraft. His flying experience included 5,000 hours of single-engine and multi-engine time with more than 600 carrier landings aboard 36 aircraft carriers. Wilbur was the COD detachment officer supporting astronaut Alan Shepard's sub-orbital flight, America's first manned space flight on May 5, 1961. Wilbur flew Shepard from the carrier USS Lake Champlain (CVS-39) to the Bahamas.
Wilbur's non-flying assignments included the founding staff artist for Approach magazine, the Navy's and Marine Corps’ aviation safety publication. His skill as an illustrator and cartoonist contributed to the magazine's mission of flying safety, particularly through his humorous characters and their flying adventures. He later became a combat artist covering the Navy's Vanguard and Polaris missile programs along with paintings of nuclear submarines.
He came to Washington, D.C. in 1967 as the editor of Naval Aviation News. His paintings and writing were widely recognized, and Wilbur was the Navy project officer for the creation of the Sea-Air Hall at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum during its construction. His paintings have been exhibited internationally and as well as the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, FL. After retiring from the Navy, he became the artist portraying the Naval Aviation safety sage "Grampaw Pettibone" for Naval Aviation News.
Captain Wilbur's military awards include the Navy Occupation Medal (Europe), National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Navy Commendation Medal and the Legion of Merit. Wilbur retired from the Navy in 1981. He is survived by his son Morgan Wilbur, and daughter, Lorna Wilbur.
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