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Seaman Francis LeRoy “Frank” Wilkes

A young African American boy in a jacket and tie.
  • Unit: USCGC Tampa
  • Date of Birth: February 19, 1897
  • Date of Death: September 26, 1918
  • Hometown: Nantucket, Massachusetts
  • Place of Death: Bristol Channel, off the coast of England
  • Award(s): Purple Heart
  • Cemetery: Tablets of the Missing, Brookwood American Cemetery, Brookwood, England. Memorial markers at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, and Prospect Hill Cemetery, Nantucket, Massachusetts
Contributed by Ms. Kierstyn Bohl
Mashpee Middle-High School, Mashpee, Massachusetts
2025/2026

Early Life

On February 19, 1897, Francis LeRoy Wilkes was born on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts. His father, Edgar Wilkes, was a laborer who advertised his services in the local Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror, including laying carpets, cleaning, and opening summer cottages. His mother, Emma, was working as a seamstress when she married Edgar.

Wilkes was a descendant of the first enslaved person who was freed on the island of Nantucket. Boston, an enslaved man, petitioned for his freedom and was emancipated in the mid-1700s. He was Francis Wilkes’s third great-grandfather. 

Wilkes grew up on Orange Street along with four of his siblings, including three older sisters and one older brother. His parents also had two other children who died before Francis Wilkes’s birth, one son at the age of three and another son at the age of six. Wilkes was active in his church community and played basketball. He attended Academy Hill School, which was part of Nantucket’s public school system that had become integrated in 1846.

Francis Wilkes married Ilda Mae Silva on Nantucket on March 18, 1918. Silva was born in Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. At the time of their marriage, Wilkes was a 21-year-old florist, and Silva was a 17-year-old waitress. Wilkes also enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in March 1918.

The Wilkes family of Orange Street is listed in the 1900 census. At the time, three-year-old Francis Wilkes lived with his parents, three sisters, brother, and niece. National Archives and Records Administration.
Wilkes’s seventh-grade class picture at Academy Hill School, 1911. Nantucket Historical Association (P1583A).
Marriage registration for Francis Wilkes and Ilda Mae Silva, August 13, 1918. Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Homefront

Nantucket, Massachusetts, is an island located 30 miles off the south coast of Cape Cod, across Nantucket Sound. It is 14 miles long and 3.5 miles wide, with 28 miles of beaches. The early 1900s were a time of change on the island. The economy had shifted from whaling to tourism. There was also a push for modernization, including a debate over whether to allow automobiles onto the island. Cars were first allowed on Nantucket in 1918.

The Fight for Women’s Suffrage

The fight over women’s suffrage was well represented on Nantucket. There was both support for and opposition to women’s suffrage. In a 1915 vote, less than 33% of Nantucket County voters were in favor. Local residents hosted speakers who supported the issue and held rallies. A local suffrage group had a booth at the 1916 annual cattle show and fair, where they handed out “suffrage coffee” and “Votes for Women” literature. The newspaper eventually began charging advertising rates for articles on women’s suffrage because it was receiving so many.

Francis Wilkes’s mother, Emma, was included on a list of women voters in 1914. At that time, women were allowed to vote for school committee members, a right they had earned in Massachusetts in 1879.

Supporting the War Effort

Nantucketers were active supporters of the war effort during World War I. Residents were urged to invest in war savings bonds, thrift stamps, and Liberty Loans. Residents also participated in Red Cross fundraising, and there was a Junior Red Cross chapter on the island. 

The farm bureau sent a demonstration agent to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard to help families with food conservation, preservation, and substitution. Willamay Toland arrived in 1917. She appointed town directors to help her give talks and demonstrations, distribute bulletins and letters, and educate women and children.

While many on Nantucket supported the war effort, there was concern about how the war might affect the local economy. The newspaper ran articles on the impact of the war on farmers, on soldier furloughs for planting, and on the start of home gardens. There was also concern on Nantucket about how the federal fishing regulations at the time would impact their industries and community.

By the fall of 1918, 196 Nantucketers were serving in the military.

The Attack on Orleans

On July 21, 1918, the tugboat Perth Amboy was shelled by a German submarine just northeast of Nantucket in Orleans, Massachusetts. The attack required a response from both the Coast Guard Station and the Naval Air Station. The submarine did not cease its attack until the tugboat was on fire. It then submerged and left the area.

Souvenirs from the attack were auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Red Cross. The incident was the only attack on U.S. soil during World War I. 

The Boston Post headline about the attack on Orleans, Massachusetts, July 22, 1918.
Red Cross women marching in a Liberty Bond parade in 1917. Nantucket Historical Association (F6337).

Military Experience

Francis Wilkes enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard on March 9, 1918, at Station No. 45 on Nantucket. He was assigned to serve as a seaman, which meant he would be responsible for ship maintenance and daily operations. On March 21, 1918, Wilkes was transferred to New York, and on July 14, 1918, he was assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Tampa. 

Wilkes was received on Tampa at U.S. Naval Barracks, Base 9, in Gibraltar. The day after he arrived on the ship, he applied for $10,000 in life insurance and named his wife as the beneficiary.

USCGC Tampa served in a convoy escorting ships between Gibraltar and Britain. Its job was to ensure the safety of merchant and military ships as they traveled from port to port. Convoy escorts were especially important during World War I with the introduction of submarine warfare.

In all, USCGC Tampa escorted 19 convoys. Its crew received a commendation from a Navy Rear Admiral for their exemplary service.


On September 26, 1918, USCGC Tampa detached from its convoy to recoal. The ship was sailing alone in the Bristol Channel when it was torpedoed by German submarine UB-91 and sank. All 130 people aboard the ship lost their lives, including Francis Wilkes.

Francis Wilkes Enlistment Contract and Record, March 9, 1918. Portions have been redacted for privacy reasons. World War I Burial Case File, National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.
Francis Wilkes Enlistment Contract and Record, March 9, 1918. Portions have been redacted for privacy reasons. World War I Burial Case File, National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa anchored in Europe,  c.1917-1918. Naval History and Heritage Command (NH 106706).
The crew of USCGC Tampa. United States Coast Guard.
Letter sent to Francis Wilkes’s wife, Ilda Mae Wilkes, October 8, 1918. Portions have been redacted for privacy reasons. World War I Burial Case File, National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.
Letter sent to Francis Wilkes’s wife, Ilda Mae Wilkes, October 8, 1918. Portions have been redacted for privacy reasons. World War I Burial Case File, National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

Commemoration

In 1999, eleven Black crewmen of Tampa, including Francis Wilkes, were awarded the Purple Heart, making them among the earliest Coast Guardsmen and the first men of color to receive the award.

Francis Wilkes is remembered for his sacrifice both on his home island of Nantucket and elsewhere. His remains were never recovered, but his name is featured on the Tablets of the Missing at Brookwood American Cemetery in England and on the U.S. Coast Guard War Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. On Nantucket, Francis Wilkes’s family placed a memorial marker in the Soldiers’ Lot at Prospect Hill Cemetery.

Wilkes’s family also celebrated his memory with their actions. His brother, Robert, enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard on October 25, 1918, about a month after Wilkes’s death. He was honorably discharged in June 1919. Wilkes’s mother, Emma, served as an officer in the Women’s Auxiliary of the American Legion on Nantucket.


In May 1934, Francis LeRoy Wilkes Square was dedicated in his memory. The memorial features a boulder with a plaque located in a triangle of grass at the convergence of three roads. According to an article in the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror, “The most impressive part of the exercises was when the aged mother, Mrs. Wilkes, walked to the tablet with the assistance of ladies of the Legion Auxiliary, and placed the wreath there in memory of her son. Everybody stood with bared heads, and there were tears in many eyes as the aged woman made the effort and paid tribute to her loved one.”

Francis Wilkes’s memorial marker at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Find a Grave.
Francis L. Wilkes’s name is listed, with the rest of the crew of USCGC Tampa, on the Coast Guard’s World War Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. Find a Grave.
Francis L. Wilkes’s name is listed at Brookwood American Cemetery in the United Kingdom, 2026. Courtesy of the American Battle Monuments Commission.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

“19,438.29 in War Savings and Thrift Stamps.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], September 14, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180914-01. 

Academy Hill School, 7th Grade Class of 1911. Photograph. 1911. Nantucket Historical Association (P1583A). https://nantuckethistory.org:443/permalink/?key=6000_i2254. 

“Anti-Suffrage Rally.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], August 14, 1915. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19150814-01.

“Articles on the Suffrage Question.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], August 14, 1915. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19150814-01.

“‘The Battle of Orleans’ as Told by an Eye-witness.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], August 3, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180803-01. 

Bird’s Eye View of the Town of Nantucket in the State of Massachusetts, Looking Southwest, 1881. Map. 1881. Norman B. Leventhal Map and Education Center, Boston Public Library (06_01_007508). https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:8336h250t. 

Close Up of Mack’s Smoke Shop. Photograph. April 6, 1917. Nantucket Historical Association (SC10). https://nantuckethistory.org:443/permalink/?key=6000_i5687. 

Crew of the USCGC Tampa (RC Miami). Photograph. United States Coast Guard. https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Conflicts/World-War-I/igphoto/2001789209/. 

District of Columbia. 1850 U.S. Census. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com. 

“Dukes County Awarded War Savings Prizes.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], June 1, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180601-01. 

“Eat Potatoes and Save Bread.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], May 4, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180504-01. 

Edgar W. Wilkes. Massachusetts, U.S., Marriage Records, 1840-1915. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com. 

Edgar W. Wilkes. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com. 

“The Exploit of the German Submarine Off Cape Cod.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts],  July 27, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180727-01. 

“Food Conservation Slogans.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts]. May 4, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180504-01. 

Francis LeRoy Wilkes. Massachusetts, U.S., Birth Records, 1840-1915. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com. 

Francis Leroy Wilkes. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com. 

Francis L. Wilkes. U.S. WWI Burial Cards, 1915-1919. https://fold3.com. 

Francis L. Wilkes, World War I Burial Case File, Department of the Coast Guard, National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

Joseph Wilkes. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com. 

“List of Women Voters.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], February 7, 1914. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19140207-01. 

Massachusetts. Essex County. 1860 U.S. Census. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com. 

Massachusetts. Nantucket County. 1900 U.S. Census. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com. 

Massachusetts. Nantucket County. 1910 U.S. Census. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com. 

Massachusetts. Nantucket County. 1920 U.S. Census. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com/. 

Merton Henry Wilkes. Massachusetts, U.S., Death Records, 1841-1915. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com. 

“Mr. Hoover Explains the Federal Fish Regulations.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], May 18, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180518-01. 

Name of Cutters. Memorandum. December 4, 1915. U.S. Coast Guard. https://www.history.uscg.mil/Our-Collections/Documents-Publications/igphoto/2003299919/. 

“Nantucketers Urged to Buy War Savings Stamps.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], June 1, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180601-01. 

“Nantucket Island, Massachusetts” Small Brochure. c.1918. Nantucket Historical Association (MS397). https://nantuckethistory.org:443/permalink/?key=6000_m7084. 

“Nantucket Man Appointed by Secretary of Treasury.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], September 12, 1914. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19140912-01. 

“Nantucket Subscribed $589,000 on Second Liberty Loan.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], November 3, 1917. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19171103-01. 

“Notes From the Local Red Cross Chapter.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], June 15, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180615-01. 

“Number in Service at Present Increased to 196.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], October 5, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19181005-01. 

“A Popular Verdict for Automobiles.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], June 1, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180601-01. 

Red Cross Women Form Part of a Liberty Bond Parade. Photograph. c.1918. Nantucket Historical Association (P18150). https://nantuckethistory.org:443/permalink/?key=6000_i3310. 

Red Cross Women Marching in a Liberty Bond Parade on Main Street. Photograph. October 23, 1917.  Nantucket Historical Association (F6337). https://nantuckethistory.org:443/permalink/?key=6000_i4185. 

Roger Smith Wilkes. U.S., National Cemetery Interment Control Forms, 1928-1962. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com. 

Sanborn Map Collection. Nantucket Historical Association. Accessed October 28, 2025. https://nha.org/research/research-tools/sanborn-maps/. 

“Schools Have Raised $7,318.75.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], May 4, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180504-01. 

“‘Sconset News.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], August 22, 1914. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19140822-01. 

“Second Red Cross War Fund Campaign.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], May 11, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180511-01. 

“Shelled by Submarine Off Coast of Cape Cod.” The Boston Post [Boston, Massachusetts], July 22, 1918. Newspapers.com (74322173).

“Sixty-First Cattle Show and Fair.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], August 26, 1916. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19160826-01. 

“Soldiers May Come Home To Do Spring Planting.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], March 16, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180316-01. 

Specifications for Building Single-Screw Steel Vessels: Revenue Cutter No. 22 and Revenue Cutter No. 23. Government Printing Office, 1910. https://media.defense.gov/2023/Sep/13/2003300073/-1/-1/0/1910_TAMPA_SPECS.PDF. 

“Summer Resident Urges Nantucketers to Plant.” April 7, 1917. The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19170407-01. 

“Tug Souvenirs Auctioned Off at Vineyard Haven.” The Inquirer and Mirror [Nantucket, Massachusetts], July 27, 1918. https://nantucketatheneum.veridiansoftware.com/?a=d&d=NIRM19180727-01. 

USCGC Tampa. Photograph. Naval History and Heritage Command (NH 106706). https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-106000/NH-106706.html. 

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Chidlow, Nora L., and Arlyn Danielson. Remember the Tampa!: A Legacy of Courage During World War I. United States Coast Guard Historian’s Office, 2018. https://media.defense.gov/2020/Aug/11/2002474913/0/0/0/REMEMBER_THE_TAMPA_080919.PDF.

“Francis LeRoy ‘Frank’ Wilkes.” Find a Grave. Updated January 31, 2011. Accessed October 27, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/64982374/francis-leroy-wilkes. 

“Francis LeRoy Wilkes.” Find a Grave. Updated June 10, 2010. Accessed October 27, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/91688771/francis-leroy-wilkes. 

“Francis L. Wilkes.” American Battle Monuments Commission. Accessed October 27, 2025. https://weremember.abmc.gov/s?q=Wilkes&v=G&type=16. 

“Francis L. Wilkes.” Veterans Legacy Memorial, National Cemetery Administration. Accessed March 27, 2026. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/FrancisLWilkes/18453. 

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Klim, John A. Attack on Orleans: The World War I Submarine Raid on Cape Cod. The History Press, 2014.

“Protecting Allied Ships During WWI: The Convoy System Comes to Gibraltar.” American Battle Monuments Commission. August 17, 2017. https://www.abmc.gov/news-events/news/protecting-allied-ships-during-wwi-convoy-system-comes-gibraltar/. 

“SEA Francis L. Wilkes.” Find a Grave. Updated August 7, 2010. Accessed October 27, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56504028/francis-l-wilkes. 

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White, Barbara. “The Integration of Nantucket Public Schools.” Nantucket Historical Association. Accessed December 4, 2025. https://nantuckethistory.org:443/permalink/?key=1001_3144.

This profile was researched and created through the Researching Silent Heroes program, sponsored by the American Battle Monuments Commission.