Master Sergeant Wilburn K. Ross (World War II) is a Notable burial at https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/tahoma.asp. He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company G, 30th Infantry, 3d Division, for actions near St. Jacques, France, October 30, 1944. Ross was born in Strunk, Kentucky. As a boy he would practice his marksmanship by placing a match in the crook of a tree and lighting it from a distance with a round from his .22 caliber rifle.  He started working in coal mines at age 18, but he soon joined the United States Army. By October 30, 1944, he was serving as a private in Company G, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. On that day, near Saint-Jacques, France, Ross manned a machine gun through repeated German assaults, holding off the enemy even after his supporting riflemen had run out of ammunition. During the incident, Ross noticed what he thought was the body of a deceased German soldier. This individual was in fact alive, and an American Lieutenant, who was watching Ross the entire time. This lieutenant later reported Ross' acts of valor and recommended him for the Medal of Honor which was issued six months later, on April 14, 1945.
Following World War II, he re-enlisted after a short period working a government job. Deployed to fight in Korea he was injured after nine days in combat. Remaining in the Army until 1964, Ross retired as a master sergeant.  For a two-year period before 1950, Ross worked for the Kentucky Highway Authority. Ross married in 1960, and after retiring from the U.S. Army, lived in DuPont, Washington. He and his wife raised six children. After retiring from the Army he worked for a veterans hospital as well as a pickle factory in Washington. His wife, Monica, died in 2011. Ross died in 2017.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/story/Article/1935126/medal-of-honor-monday-army-pvt-wilburn-ross/.
*The preceding content is not intended as a comprehensive biography, but it highlights their significance as a result of military or civilian distinction, lasting achievements, or association with impactful national events. 

MOH Wilburn Ross (center) attends a military ceremony.

President Kennedy shaking hands with MOH-recipient Wilburn Ross.

Tahoma National Cemetery

My mother worked at the Nisqually Bar & Grill where Wilburn would visit for lunch from time to time.  She found one of his Medal of Honor challenge coins recently that he had given her.  I would love to offer this coin to one of his kids.  She said he was so kind to her, always.  

We lived across the street from Wilburn (who went by "Web") when we lived in DuPont.  We got to be friends with them during the time that we were there.  Noticing his MofH license plate we asked if he and Mrs. Ross could come over some evening and tell our family about his MoH experience.  He was glad to do so.  They came over together one evening to visit with us and our three sons and two daughters.  One of the boys read his citation out loud to the rest of us, and he described to us what it was like to be at the forefront of the confrontation.  We were all extremely impressed.  He let each of the kids put on his medal and told us other stories about being in the Korean War after WWII.  It was an experience none of us will forget.  He was a kind and humble man and didn't come across in his day-to-day interactions as being unlike any other person.  Just being around him, no would have thought of this good man as being a valiant combat hero -- but he was.

WILBURN K ROSS

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