time. “I had the honor of first meeting him in ‘76, just before I went on recruiting duty in Chicago. He was a commander at the time. It was interesting to note that he was the senior ranking African American officer at that time. He was an average size man, but to me, he was bigger than life itself. I was in awe of him, as not only he was the first senior ranking African American officer at that time, but also an aviator…I hung on to every word he said to me, as we talked about goals and vision. He shared with me the challenges, which he was quick to call them opportunities, that he took full advantage of that mapped out his successful Coast Guard career at that time.” In September 1977, while serving in Coast Guard District Fourteen, Wilks was promoted to the rank of captain. Two years later, Wilks took command of Coast Guard Air Station, Brooklyn, becoming the first minority officer to command an air station. He subsequently earned the Coast Guard Commendation Medal for outstanding service. Wilks’ final assignment during his Coast Guard career was a liaison officer to the Federal Aviation Administration. There, he was a member of the team that developed the Rotorcraft Master Plan, a document used by the FAA to integrate the helicopter into the National Airspace System. His final OER states, “Captain Wilks is an absolutely outstanding officer.” In 1986, Captain Bobby Wilks retired from the Service after a career that spanned 31 years. Over the course of that career, he accumulated over 6,000 hours of flight time and was qualified to fly 20 different aircraft. More importantly, Wilks smashed racial barriers and, through his leadership and example, led the Coast Guard to greater diversity. He mentored future leaders like Master Chief Patton and Admirals Errol Brown and Manson Brown. Capt. Wilks passed away in 2009, at the age of 78. When his wife, Aida, called his longtime friend, retired commander Dallas Schmidt, to deliver the sad news, she added that the last words spoken by Wilks were of his friend. Schmidt asked, “The beers I owed him?” “No,” replied Mrs. Wilks, “Dallas let me fly under the Brooklyn Bridge.” Despite his remarkable career, it was a poignant memory of flying with a friend that formed his final words. Capt. Bobby Wilks was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery with friends, those he mentored and served with, and Coast Guard leadership in attendance. Today, his legacy continues to inspire those who choose to serve and continue the long blue line. . A photo of Lt. j.g. Bobby Wilks posing in front of an HU-16E “Albatross” fixed-wing amphibian aircraft in March 1959. WINTER 2024 — 31
