Wilbur S. Caton

Wilbur Samuel Caton was born in Union Town, Pennsylvania, on December 31, 1939. He joined the United States Navy on July 10, 1958, having graduated from high school in May of the same year.  He served in the US Navy and was stationed at the US Naval Air Station in Point Mugu, California, the US Naval Air Technical Center in Memphis, Tennessee, and the US Naval Auxiliary Air Station in Port Isabel, Texas.  In August 1961 he was released from active duty and reenlisted for another term. He received several good conduct awards and was chosen by his squadron 121 as pacemaker of the month. His duty on the USS Ranger during the Vietnam War was to keep the F-4 fighter jets in the air.  Fighter Squadron 121 at the Miramar Naval Air Station in Miramar, California, was his last duty station. He was released from active duty on July 31, 1967. He served in the reserves from July 1967 to July 1972.  In September 1967, following his military duty, he began working as an aircraft metals worker for the civil service on North Island Coronado.  He joined PSA  Airlines in 1968 and worked on the 727 aircraft. He began working as a sheet metal fittings worker for Nassco Shipyard in 1968–1969.  He left Nassco in 1971 and began working for Marine Boiler repair, where he remained until 1976. He started working for Frasier Boiler Services in early 1977 and left in April of 2006.  During his employment at Frasier Boiler he worked on the refurbishment of the flip ship that the Scripps Institute of Oceanography operated. Wilbur is survived by his wife, 6 children, 6 grandchildren, and 7 great grandchildren.