Political Experience

U. S. Naval Academy, Class of 1946 (1046 graduates). Corresponding Secretary for 38 years.

U. S Naval Academy Alumni Association. President of the San Diego, California Chapter. National Trustee.

Naval Reserve Association. President of the San Diego, California Chapter. President of the Eleventh District. National Vice President, Membership.

A YMS-135 Class Coastal Minesweeper was Charles Wilhoit's first command.

Republican Party of San Diego County. President, North San Diego County Republican Club. Associate Member of the San Diego County Republican Executive Committee.

Appointed Precinct Coordinator of San Diego County Republican Party several months prior to my move to Tennessee.

Precinct Coordinator in three Congressional Primaries. Campaign Manager for a Republican Congressional candidate.

Founding Chairman, Veterans Council of San Diego, California.

Republican Candidate for the 8th Tennessee Senate Primary election.

State Chairman, Libertarian Party of Tennessee. Candidate for Vice Chairman, National Libertarian Party.

Independent Candidate for Governor of Tennessee in 2002.


Executive Vice President, Sixth District, Naval Reserve Association.

Deputy Chairman, Legislative Committee, Reserve Officers Association / Department of California.

After I retired from the Navy in ’74 I began a serious study of the U. S. Constitution, which has continued and intensified. I have always been an activist and a “joiner” so my subsequent interest in politics seemed to have developed naturally. I have been a member of The Committee to Restore the Constitution, The John Birch Society, The Center For Constitutional Studies, as well as numerous historical and literary societies. I enjoy Life Memberships in The Naval Academy Alumni Association, The Naval Reserve Association, The Naval Enlisted Reserve Association, The Reserve Officers Association, The Retired Officers Association (now Military Officers Association of America), Navy League of the United States and The Veterans of Foreign Wars.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

The year was 1923, the place Alcoa, Tennessee where, according to my mother, I was the first baby born in the ALCOA (Aluminum Company of America) hospital. My parents, Grace and Charlie Wilhoit (both dec.), were both employed by ALCOA and were respected citizens of Blount County. I had an older sister, Alice (dec.), and a younger sister, Helen. I attended The First Baptist Church of Maryville with my family and was baptized in that church. Although religion has always been a cornerstone of my life I am not now a member of any organized religion.

I attended Alcoa, Maryville and Blount County schools through junior year in high school and then two years at CMA (Columbia Military Academy), Columbia, Tennessee. I entered the U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD in June of ‘42 and graduated with the Class of ’46 in June ‘45 with a commission as Ensign, U. S. Navy.


While attending Maryville High School, I played trumpet in the band and was a cheer leader. I, and three of my best friends, were known as “The Four Termites.” After school and on Sundays I delivered The Knoxville News-Sentinel to customers all over Maryville. At CMA I played trumpet in the marching band and was a bugler. At the Naval Academy I played trumpet in the Midshipman dance band, the NA-10.


I was in San Francisco on VJ Day, awaiting transportation to my first ship, and reported aboard U.S.S. Frank E. Evans (DD-754) anchored off Jinsen (Inchon), Korea, in September ‘45. I resigned my Regular Navy commission in ’54, and was subsequently commissioned LT in the Ready Reserve of the Naval Reserve. During the “Second Berlin Crisis” of ’61 I was recalled to active duty and remained on active duty until I changed my status to Captain, U. S. Navy (Retired) in ’74. In short, my Navy career spanned WW II, Korea and Vietnam, during which time I commanded a minesweeper, a destroyer escort, a destroyer, a destroyer squadron and a Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center.


During the years in which I was a Ready Reservist I was employed by Reynolds Metals Company in Arkansas and Alabama; Convair – Astronautics Div. Of General Dynamics Corp. and Government Personnel Mutual Life Insurance Co., both in San Diego California. Following my Navy retirement I was Deputy Executive Director of the Naval Reserve Association in Washington, D.C.

I was an Ensign when Dorothy Boller (dec.) and I were married in Vallejo, California in ’47. We had three children, Charlie, Barbie (dec.) and Ann, all born in Naval Hospitals. I married Patricia Doorly Kaufman in ’77 in San Diego, California. Tricia has three sons by a former marriage, Daniel, Peter and Marcus. Between us we have seven grandchildren and one great grandchild. We moved from Solana Beach, CA to our present mountain home near Townsend, TN in Oct. ’88.

CAPT Charles V. Wilhoit, Jr. USN (Ret.)

Charles Wilhoit
Libertarian National Committee

At-Large Representative

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