Thomas Mack Wilhoite was born on February 12, 1921 in Guthrie, KY. He enlisted in the Naval Reserve on June 16, 1941 in Atlanta, GA and received his aviation indoctrination training at the Naval Reserve Air Base in Atlanta. On August 7, 1941 he reported for flight instruction at the Naval Air Station (NAS) in Pensacola, FL, and was appointed an aviation cadet the following day. Transferred to NAS in Miami, FL, on January 15, 1942 for further training, he became a Naval aviator on February 6, 1942. Three days later he was commissioned an Ensign and at the end of February had reported to the Advanced Carrier Training Group, Atlantic Fleet, NAS in Norfolk, VA. There he joined Fighting Squadron (VF) 9, then preparing to go to war. He became the Assistant Navigation Officer for that squadron.

Operation Torch--the World War II invasion of French North Africa--saw VF-9 assigned to the aircraft carrier USS RANGER (CV-4). It was that aircraft carrier that provided air superiority during the amphibious invasion of German-dominated French Morocco (commencing early November 8, 1942). It was still dark at 6:15 a.m. that day when RANGER, stationed 30 miles northwest of Casablanca, began launching her aircraft to support the landings made at three points on the Atlantic coast of North Africa. Each section of the squadron had drawn assigned tasks on that morning, the first day of the amphibious landings. Wilhoite flew one of five Grumman F4F-4 Wildcats which attacked the French airdrome at Rabat-Sale, the headquarters of the French air forces in Morocco. Despite heavy anti-aircraft fire, Wilhoite pressed home a determined attack and set three French bombers afire with his guns.

In a second strike directed at the Port Lyautey (now Kenitra) airdrome later that day, Wilhoite flew his Wildcat, Bureau Number (BuNo) 02023, as part of the RANGER’s third flight. He destroyed one fighter--a Dewoitine 520--by strafing. However, the Vichy ground gunners served their weapons well; and Wilhoite’s Wildcat took hits from the intense flak and crashed about one mile from Port Lyautey. After all was said and done, the RANGER’s aircraft destroyed more than 70 enemy planes on the ground and shot down 15 in aerial combat, immobilized 21 light enemy tanks and destroyed 86 military vehicles. Casablanca surrendered to the Americans on November 11, 1942.

Thomas Mack Wilhoite received a Silver Star posthumously, for displaying "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" during the strikes at Rabat-Sale and Port Lyautey. The citation also cited Wilhoite’s "superb airmanship and tenacious devotion to duty" in pressing home his strafing attacks.