Decorated WWII Veteran Dean Whitaker Passes Away

World War II veteran Dean Whitaker passed away on July 14, 2022. Mr. Whitaker was a former Prisoner-of-War (POW) who was very active in the Las Vegas veteran’s community sharing his experiences. He was a regular participant in the annual POW/MIA Day Remembrance ceremonies at Nellis Air Force Base, even throughout the pandemic.  

In 2019, he was awarded the The Legion d’Honneur – France’s highest award, conferred upon men and women for outstanding achievements in military or civilian life for his service during World War II. 

Whitaker, born in Los Angeles, enlisted as a bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943. Whitaker flew 20 missions over Europe in a B-17 Flying Fortress. He earned a Purple Heart for injuries sustained on his first mission and his 20th and final mission, which ended when his plane was shot down over Merseburg, Germany. Whitaker was taken prisoner and survived seven months in a POW camp before liberation by General George Patton’s forces in 1945.   

Following the war, Whitaker returned to California where he worked as a schoolteacher, a firefighter, and an architect, building homes throughout Laguna Beach area. He moved to Las Vegas soon after retirement. 

Services were held on July 29, 2022, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Las Vegas. Mr. Whitaker touched many lives during his time in Southern Nevada. For those interested in learning more about Mr. Whitaker, here are a couple of stories that were completed in recent years: 

WWII veterans awarded French Legion d’Honneur Medal 

Veteran’s Voice: Former prisoner of war remembers love of his life, shares favorite hobbies 

In His Own Words: Dean Whitaker Story (Video)