. General Wilson was born on February 11, 1920, in Brandon, Mississippi.
. Jane Clark of Pearson, Mississippi, attended Central High in Jackson.
. Louis entered Millsaps College in 1937; Jane in 1938.
. Louis played football and ran track while in school.
. In the Spring of 1941, Marine recruiters came to Murrah Hall on Millsaps Campus.
. Louis enlisted, along with another classmate from Brandon.
. After graduation from Millsaps, Louis went to Marine active duty for training.
. He saw WWII action in Pacific theater, Guadalcanal, Bougainville.
. On July 24 & 25, 1944, he led Marines in capture of Fonte Hill, Guam, and endured multiple injuries. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for        these actions. He was hospitalized until October 15, 1944.
. He married a 1942 Millsaps graduate, Jane Clark.
. He later went on to serve in Korea and Vietnam.
. August 29, 1972, he was promoted to 3 star, Lt. General, named Commander of Fleet Marine Forces of the Pacific, Honolulu.
. 1975, nominated for Marine Commandant by President Gerald Ford.
. After being promoted to 4 star general, on June 30, 1975, he assumed duty of Commandant. In his remarks, he admonished all Marines " to get in step and right spritely".
. During his 4 years as Commandant, he became the first Marine to serve on the 5 member, U. S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. This achievement elevated him to Mississippi’s highest military rank in history.
. June 29, 1979, he retired from active duty.
. Due to his worldwide military and administrative experience, he was elected to corporate boards of Merrill Lynch, Louisiana Land and Development, Fluor, and others.
. Since his retirement, Gen. and Mrs. Wilson have lived in Jackson, California, and presently live in Birmingham, home city to their only child, Janet, her husband and two children.
. As a Millsaps graduate and former Millsaps board member, upon retirement from Merrill Lynch board, the firm honored him with a gift to be used as an educational tool for Millsaps.

Excerpt from Presentation of Medal of Honor by President Truman
"as commanding officer of a rifle company in action against enemy Japanese forces at Fonte Hill, Guam, Captain Wilson pushed up the rugged open terrain, against terrific machine gun and rifle fire—promptly assuming command of other disorganized units and motorized equipment, he organized his night defenses in the face of continuous hostile fire—though wounded three times, he completed the disposition of men and guns before retiring to the command post for medical attention. With Japanese counterthrusts, he voluntarily rejoined his besieged unit, and in a hail of shrapnel and bullets, dashed 50 yards to rescue a wounded Marine---led his men in a furious battle for 10 hours—he succeeded in crushing the last efforts of the enemy early the next morning. Then, organizing a 17 man patrol, he immediately advanced upon a strategic slope, essential to the security of his position, and boldly defying intense mortar, machine gun and rifle fire, which struck down 13 of his men, drove relentlessly forward with the remnants of his patrol to seize the vital ground."