Note: There are multiple dates of birth given for Richardson, including 29 November 1919/20 and 30 November 1919/20. The birth date he gave on his World War II draft registration card was 30 November 1919, so that is used on this profile in lieu of a birth record.

Family life

Wilmon Richardson was born to parents Tom Richardson and Reba (Scott) Pynes. He had at least one sister, Mrs. Oille Doddins, who was living in Chicago, Illinois in 1975.

On 11 August 1950 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Richardson married Annie Lawson, named as Mrs. Annie Lawson Richardson in his obituary. Lawson had previously been married to Arthur Jackson and was the mother Mrs. Jewel Jackson, Wilmon Richardson's stepdaughter. Jewel was known as Jewel Richardson Jackson.

But he would later have a second family.

Per NPR:

"At a late age, [journalist Don Lemon] discovered that his parents weren't legally bound. His father, who he called 'Mr. Richardson,' was married to another woman while in a relationship with Lemon's mother. His mother was also married to another man but divorced him because he 'wasn't treating her right,' Lemon shares. She then became Mr. Richardson's legal secretary."

Per Lemon's 2021 memoir:

My father, Wilmon Richardson, was an attorney in Baton Rouge. Long story short, he was Black Perry Mason, and my mom, Katherine, was Black Della Street. They never married, but they were devoted to each other, and I had a great relationship with my father. I was nine years old when he died from complications of diabetes. We were remodeling our house, and he stepped on a nail. It became infected, and he had to have his toe amputated. But that didn't heal, so he had to have his foot amputated. And then they took his leg right up to the knee. Eventually a blood clot reached his heart, and he died.

Military service

On 1 July 1941, Richardson submitted his draft registration card, giving his employment as "C.Q.M." (company quartermaster) in the United States Army at Camp Polk (now Fort Polk) in Leesville, Louisiana. He was 6' tall, weighed 175 pounds, and had dark brown eyes and black hair. He listed Reba Pynes of Leesville as his next-of-kin.

Regardless of his work at Camp Polk -- perhaps he was simply working in a civilian capacity with the company quartermaster, and not actually enlisted? -- his official enlistment date is given as 30 August 1942 at Camp Livingston, Louisiana, as a warrant officer. He then deployed, eventually serving as a TEC-5 in the United States Army, serving from 11 September 1942 until 10 October 1946.

During the war, Richardson was treated four times in military hospitals. In January 1944, he was twice hospitalized for bladder issues, including a cyst necessitating fulguration. In May 1945, he was treated on a hospital ship or transport for urticaria. In July 1945, he was treated in a station hospital for chancroid.

He is buried at Port Hudson National Cemetery in Louisiana. His service number was 38224623.

Sources

• Ancestry.com. Louisiana, U.S., Compiled Marriage Index, 1718-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
  • Name: Wilmon L Richardson; Gender: Male; Race: Negro (Black); Marriage Date: 11 Aug 1950; Marriage Pace: Baton Rouge, E Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Spouse: Annie Jackson; Certificate Number: 2??.
• Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.
  • Name: Wilmon Lee Richardson; Gender: Male; Race: Black; Birth Date: 29 Nov 1920; Birth Place: Leesville, Louisiana; Death Date: Sep 1975; Father: Tom Richardson; Mother: Reba Scott; SSN: 437188100; Notes: Jan 1939: Name listed as WILMON LEE RICHARDSON; 18 Dec 1987: Name listed as WILMON RICHARDSON.
• Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2005.
  • National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number: 13066; Reel: 72.
    • Name: Wilmon L Richardson; Race: Negro (Black); Marital status: Single, with dependents (Single); Rank: Private; Birth Year: 1919; Nativity State or Country: Louisiana; Citizenship: Citizen; Residence: Vernon, Louisiana; Education: 4 years of high school; Civil Occupation: Checkers; Enlistment Date: 30 Aug 1942; Enlistment Place: Camp Livingston, Louisiana; Service Number: 38224623; Branch: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA; Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men); Source: Civil Life; Height: 71; Weight: 160.
• Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
  • The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Louisiana, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 479.
    • Name: Wilmon Lee Richardson; Race: Negro (Black); Age: 21; Birth Date: 30 Nov 1919; Birth Place: Leesville, Louisiana; Residence Place: Leesville, Vernon, Louisiana; Registration Date: 1 Jul 1941; Registration Place: Leesville, Vernon Parish, Louisiana; Employer: U. S. Army-C. Q. M. Camp Polk; Weight: 175; Complexion: Black; Eye Color: Dark Brown; Hair Color: Black; Height: 6 ft.; Next of Kin: Reba Rynes.
• Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019.
  • National Archives and Records Administration; Hospital Admission Card Files, ca. 1970 - ca. 1970; NAI: 570973; Record Group Number: Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army), 1775-1994; Record Group Title: 112.
    • Name: Wilmon L Richardson; Race: Negro (Black); Rank: Enlisted Man; Admission Age: 24; Birth Date: abt 1920; Admission Date: Jan 1944; Discharge Date: Jan 1944; Military Branch: Transportation Corps; Diagnosis: Diagnosis: Bladder and urethra, disease of, other; Type of Injury: Disease; Injured in Line of Duty: In line of duty; Type of Discharge: Duty; Length of service: 1 Year(s), 4 Month(s); Service Number: 38224623.
    • Name: Wilmon L Richardson; Race: Negro (Black); Rank: Enlisted Man; Admission Age: 24; Birth Date: abt 1920; Admission Date: Jan 1944; Discharge Date: Jan 1944; Military Branch: Transportation Corps; Diagnosis: Diagnosis: Cyst, other; FirstLocation: Bladder; Type of Injury: Disease; Medical Treatment: Fulguration (destruction of tissue using electric sparks); Injured in Line of Duty: Not in line of duty, existed prior to service; Type of Discharge: Duty; Length of service: 1 Year(s), 3 Month(s); Service Number: 38224623.
    • Name: Wilmon L Richardson; Gender: Male; Race: Black; Rank: Enlisted Man (includes Aviation Cadet or Student); Admission Age: 24; Birth Date: abt 1921; Admission Date: May 1945; Admission Place: Hospital Ships, Transports; Discharge Date: May 1945; Discharge Place: Army Hospital Ship or Transport; Military Branch: Transportation Corps; Diagnosis: Diagnosis: Urticaria; Type of Injury: InjuryType: Disease; InjuryType2: Not a traumatism; Type of Discharge: Duty (includes AWOL); Length of service: 2-3 yr.; Service Number: 38224623; Notes: None.
    • Name: Wilmon L Richardson; Gender: Male; Race: Black; Rank: Enlisted Man (includes Aviation Cadet or Student); Admission Age: 25; Birth Date: abt 1920; Admission Date: Jul 1945; Discharge Date: Jul 1945; Discharge Place: Station Hospital; Military Branch: Transportation Corps; Diagnosis: Diagnosis: Chancroid; Type of Injury: InjuryType: Disease; InjuryType2: Not a traumatism; Type of Discharge: Duty (includes AWOL); Length of service: 3-5 yr.; Service Number: 38224623; Notes: None.
• "Award-winning CNN Anchor Goes 'Transparent'." NPR, published 11 July 2011. < https://www.npr.org/2011/07/11/137766611/-award-winning-cnn-anchor-... > Accessed 9 May 2019.
• "Don Lemon travels in search of his roots." CNN via YouTube, published 14 October 2014. < link > Accessed 19 April 2021.
• "Jewel Jackson." The Opelousas Daily World, published 1 April 1999, p. 15. < link > Accessed 20 April 2021.
• Lemon, Don. This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism. New York: Little, Brown, 2021.
• National Cemetery Administration. U.S., Veterans' Gravesites, ca.1775-2019 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
  • Name: Wilmon L Richardson; Death Age: 55; Birth Date: 29 Nov 1919; Service Start Date: 11 Sep 1942; Service End Date: 10 Oct 1946; Death Date: 3 Sep 1975; Interment Date: 9 Sep 1975; Interment Place: Louisiana, USA; Cemetery Address: 20978 Port Hickey Road Zachary, La 70791; Cemetery: Port Hudson National Cemetery; Plot: Section A Site 1289-B; Notes: Tech 5 Us Army World War Ii.
• "Wilmon Richardson." Opelousas Daily World, published 7 September 1975, p. 2. < link > Accessed 20 April 2021.
• "Wilmon Richardson." U.S. Social Security Death Index (SSDI) via MyHeritage. < link > Accessed 20 April 2021.
  • Birth: Nov 29 1919; Death: Sep 1975; Last residence: USA; SSN issuing state: Louisiana.