Wilbur Rodney Spradling Jr.

Korean War
Service #20361A
Unit35 FTR BOMB SQ 8 FTR BOMB GP
RankFirst Lieutenant U.S. Air Force
Date of DeathJuly 22 1952
StatusMissing In Action
Memorialized
Courts of the Missing
Court
8
Air Medal
Korean Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Purple Heart
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
First Lieutenant Spradling was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Notes
USNA Class of 1950, First Lieutenant Spradling was the pilot of a F-80C Shooting Star fighter interceptor with the 35th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Group. On July 22, 1952, while on a combat mission and during a dive bombing run, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire, crashed and exploded. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.