 | |  | Officer Charles Wiget
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
California
Monday, January 14, 1952 |
Rest in Peace, Officer Wiget. Your sacrifice is not forgotten. Officer 11169
2009-06-08
WARRIOR
CPD
2008-03-23
No fellow California law enforcement personnel killed in the line-of-duty, should be forgotten.
Officer Wiget, may Your Soul Rest-In-Peace. Maj M. B. Parlor
USMC / LAPD
2008-01-14
YOU ARE REMEMBERED TODAY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR POLICE AND MILITARY SERVICE, THIS WRITER WISHES ALL FAMILY MEMBERS WOULD LEAVE BIOGRAPHY FOR ALL THESE HEROS. THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER "HERO" STORIES BEHIND THEIR STORIES THAT ARE HERE. VANDENBERGHE
MANCHESTER, NH
2008-01-05
Charles Donald Wiget was born on March 29, 1920 in Los Angeles, CA. "Chuck" or "Carl", as he was called by friends and family, was in the Civilian Conservation Corps before enlisting in the US Navy in 1939 where he became a gunner’s mate.
Chuck’s ship, the USS Salt Lake City, one of our heavy cruisers, was only 200 miles out from Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. His ship gained the title of the “One Ship Fleet” for the number of enemy ships sunk or put out of commission. The ship was given credit for firing the first missiles from an American ship in WWII that fell on Japanese held territory.
Chuck went through Wake and Marcus Island raids, landings on Guadalcanal, and the Battle of the Coral Sea. The Salt Lake City also rescued another cruiser when she was damaged and aflame, by running between her the enemy that was bombarding her, and blasting the Japanese ship out of the water. Later, while near the Aleutians in a powerful battle against forces twice their size, the ship was brought to a complete halt by enemy bombardment. Three other destroyers made a suicidal run at the enemy ships while Chuck and his fellow crewman worked feverishly to repair their ship’s damage.
Near the end of WWII Chuck was transferred to a base in California, serving on the USS Safeguard and the USS Pinkney. On February 21, 1946 Chuck was honorably discharged at San Pedro, California.
After his discharge, Chuck and a friend started the Cowart & Wiget well drilling business in Petaluma. On February 14, 1947 Chuck married Dorothy Mae Rogers and they made their home in Petaluma, CA. Shortly after he was married he sold his share in the well drilling business to become a Correctional Officer at San Quentin Prison.
Five years later, on January 14, 1952, Chuck was stabbed to death by two inmates in an attempted prison break. Chuck was 32 years old. Leroy Rice
nephew of Officer Charles Wiget
2006-05-22
You are not forgotten my brother. Lieutenant
California Department of Corrections
2005-01-28
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