Captain William C. Wilkerson was born in Kiln, Mississippi. He entered the Navy through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) program at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry/Pre-Med and was commissioned an Ensign in the Naval Reserve on 4 June 1975.
Captain Wilkerson’s initial division officer tours were as G- Division Officer and Weapons Administration Officer onboard USS SARATOGA (CV 60) from March 1976 to June 1978. During this tour he completed two Mediterranean Sea deployments and numerous South Atlantic operations. He was released from active duty in June 1978 and affiliated with the Naval Reserves at Naval Reserve Center, Jackson, Mississippi.
Captain Wilkerson was recalled to active duty in August 1981 in the Training and administration of Reserves (TAR) program. He served onboard USS CALOOSAHATCHEE (AO 98) as Electrical Officer and Combat Information Center Officer until February 1984. During this tour he completed one Mediterranean Sea deployment. Ordered ashore in April 1984, he assumed command of Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center, Amarillo, Texas.
Upon completion of Surface Warfare Officer Department Head School in Newport, Rhode Island, Captain Wilkerson reported to USS BLAKELY (FF 1072) as Weapons Officer from June 1986 to December 1987. He then returned to USS CALOOSAHATCHE (AO 98) as First Lieutenant from February 1988 to June 1989 where he completed another Mediterranean Sea deployment. He then served as Executive Officer and Navigator in USS FLATLEY (FFG 21) from September 1989 to December 1990.
Captain Wilkerson was assigned as Chief of Staff, Commander Naval Reserve Readiness Command Region NINE in Memphis, Tennessee from January 1991 to July 1993. While there, he earned a Masters of Science in Operations Management from the University of Arkansas, and was designated as Command at Sea qualified. He then served as Commander, Naval Surface Reserve Force Pacific Representative in San Diego, California from August 1993 to December 1994. He served as Fleet Support Officer, Commander, Naval Surface Reserve Force, New Orleans, Louisiana from January 1995 to July 1998.
Captain Wilkerson served as Commanding Officer, Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center, Atlanta, Georgia from August 1998 to November 2001. He retired from active duty on 28 February 2002. From August 2002 to June 2005, he was employed as the Senior Naval Science Instructor, Navy JROTC at Forrest City High School in Forrest City, AR, and later served as Senior Naval Science Instructor, Navy JROTC for Lassiter/Pope/Kell High Schools in Marietta, GA.
Captain Wilkerson’s awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with two Gold Stars, Navy Commendation Medal with Gold Star, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and various unit and service awards.