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Bobby Wilks
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bobby Charles Wilks (May 12, 1931 – July 13, 2009),[1][2] was an American Coast Guard aviator. He was the first African American Coast Guard aviator and the first African American to reach the rank of Coast Guard captain.[3] Captain Wilks, who also was the first African American to command a Coast Guard air station, was involved in a number of air-sea rescues around the world. He received the Air Medal for his actions on the night of December 9, 1971, while piloting his helicopter over the Pacific Ocean.[2]
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