Andrew H. Wilkinson

Wilkinson, Andrew H. MSGT, USAF (Ret.) ALBANY Prominent veterans' activist Andrew H. "Woopy Doodle" Wilkinson, 74, died at home on August 11, 2007. Andy was born in Albany on April 13, 1933 to Perry and Clara Wilkinson, both deceased. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 23 years, retiring as a master sergeant after 19 base assignments and 13 years overseas. During 1966-67, he served in Vietnam with the 1876th Communications Squadron at Tan Son Nhut Airbase. He was a founding member (1982), past board member, and life member of Tri County Council Vietnam Era Veterans, chairing its Hospital Oversight and Agent Orange/Dioxin committees. He was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 10, life member of Oppenheim VFW Post 1019, and a member of Scully American Legion Post 1019. Andy was an organizer of the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Petition Committee, comprised of officials of traditional veterans organizations. In April 1986, after a year of intense negotiations, a 28-day inpatient PTSD program was finally established at the Stratton VA Medical Center. In 1987, he co-founded the International Agent Orange Network with Joe Cole of Lacey, Wash. The network was comprised of military veterans from the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, U.S. government and U.S. and international scientists, lawyers, and civilian activists. Their efforts helped to connect many diseases, including Spina-Bifida in infants, to Agent Orange/Dioxin exposure. He is survived by his loving nieces and goddaughters, Mary Emma (Robert) Townsend, Jennifer Norris (and son, Landon), and Pamela Jean Townsend, all of Glenville, N.Y.; lifetime friends, William and Laura Teasdale formerly of Albany now of Temple, Ga., and their sons and families, Timothy, Gregory (Mary), Douglas (Kathy), Robert (Katy) of N.J. and William of Calif; and dear friends since military service in Athens, Greece in 1972, Gerald L. and Claude Randels of Alexandria, Va. Also Sedar Tuygun and Natalie, with children Toma and Lavi of Texas. Funeral services will be held Friday, 11 a.m. at the Tebbutt & Frederick Memorial Home, 633 Central Avenue, Albany. Relatives and friends are also invited to call Thursday 5 to 8 p.m. Interment will be in the Gerald B.H Solomon National Cemetery, Schuylerville, N.Y. Donations may be made to Tri County Council Vietnam Era Veterans, P.O. Box 11100, Albany, NY 12211 or to the POW/MIA F0IA Litigation Account, P.O. Box 8044, Silver Springs, MD 20907.