Reuben was a track star in high school, a skill that may have cost him his life.

Reuben Wilkinson, the eldest son of Albert and Lottie Wilkinson, was born in Los Angeles, California, on April 8, 1894. His father was a traveling salesman who moved the family to Santa Cruz sometime after 1910. When the family arrived in the community, Reuben enrolled in Santa Cruz High School located across the street from the family home. High school yearbooks make frequent reference to the academic accomplishments of Reuben Wilkinson and his prowess as a track star.

In 1914 Wilkinson graduated from high school and moved to Needles, California, where the Claypool Company, a large grocery concern, employed him as a clerk.

While residing in Needles, Wilkinson registered for the draft on June 5, 1917. At that time he was described as being tall and slender with brown hair and gray eyes. When inducted, he was sent to Camp Lewis, Washington, for his basic training.

Volunteers were requested to fill the 364th Infantry Regiment of the 91st Infantry Division, and Private Wilkinson was among the first to step forward. In the latter part of June 1918, those volunteer replacements traveled east through Canada, Chicago and on to their debarkation port in New Jersey.

The 91st Infantry set sail for "over there" during June and July and when they arrived in France, they made preparation for what would be the fall Meuse-Argonne offensive. On September 30, 1918, Private Wilkinson wrote home describing his first combat experience.

“Dear Mother and Father:
Well, I have a little "blighty" at last, but it is nothing serious, so if you have received word that I am a casualty do not be worried, as everything is O.K.
I was in the first wave of our advance for two days and two nights and then I had to get bumped off. I sure would have liked to stay with the bunch and chased those "boches" clear off the map.

We were advancing in the face of the German rear guard action which consists mostly of machine gun and artillery fire when one of their high explosive shells broke so close to me that the man who was behind me was blown to pieces and the man in front was knocked down and I do not know if he was killed or not; I hope not, because we have been pals from the time we started.
Just before the explosion a machine gun bullet passed through the cuff on my shirt sleeve and when the explosion of the big shell came something hit me on the mouth and in the back of the head and I was thrown about ten or twelve feet and I struck on my knees. Then I got to my feet and went about 450 yards and then fell, to be picked up later, which I do not remember, by the first aid men and here I am now.
Will close for the present hoping all are well, and with love to you both, I remain
Your Son… Reuben M. Wilkinson”

Reuben was hospitalized as a result of the wounds that he incurred during the Meuse-Argonne offensive and remained confined for a portion of October. In late October he returned to his regiment to assist in the great Lys-Scheldt battles in Flanders, Belgium. A special eulogy in his high school Trident newspaper on May 10, 1919, describes the final episode in Reuben Wilkinson's life occurring on November 2, 1918.
“His was the most dangerous of jobs, that of a runner or carrier of messages. His officers and comrades speak of his perfect fearlessness and willingness to volunteer for the most dangerous missions. He was killed by a machine gun bullet while carrying messages in a country literally [alive] with machine gun nests.”

Reuben Wilkinson is buried in the Flanders Field American Cemetery among the poppies in Waregem, Belgium.

(WWIDR; ABMC; SCSn November 1918 5:4, December 3, 1918 2:4; SCEN May 10, 1924; Photo-SCHS)