Donald served as a Technician Fourth Grade in the 31st Signal Construction Battalion, U.S. Army during World War II.
He resided in Laurel, Sussex County, Delaware prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on November 6, 1942 in Camden, New Jersey. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Sales clerk and as being Single, without dependents.
The Rohna and four other troop ships left Oran in French Algeria with cargo and troops. Off Béjaïa, Algeria the convoy was attacked by an estimated 60 German Luftwaffe Heinkel 177's. One of the 177's, piloted by Hans Dochtermann, released a glide bomb that hit Rohna on her port side and she eventually sank.
1,138 men were killed, including 1,015 U.S. personnel. The attack is the largest loss of US troops at sea due to enemy action in a single incident. 35 U.S. troops of the 2,000 originally embarked later died of wounds.
Donald was declared "Missing In Action" when the HMT Rohna, on which he was a passenger, was attacked along with four other ships, by multiple Luftwaffe Heinkel 177 aircraft and sunk. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
He had served the Army for one year at the time of his death and was decorated with the Purple Heart.
Service # 12133696
Donald also has a "Cenotaph" in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Laurel, Delaware.
( see Family Links below )
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Laurel, Sussex County, Delaware prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on November 6, 1942 in Camden, New Jersey. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Sales clerk and as being Single, without dependents.
The Rohna and four other troop ships left Oran in French Algeria with cargo and troops. Off Béjaïa, Algeria the convoy was attacked by an estimated 60 German Luftwaffe Heinkel 177's. One of the 177's, piloted by Hans Dochtermann, released a glide bomb that hit Rohna on her port side and she eventually sank.
1,138 men were killed, including 1,015 U.S. personnel. The attack is the largest loss of US troops at sea due to enemy action in a single incident. 35 U.S. troops of the 2,000 originally embarked later died of wounds.
Donald was declared "Missing In Action" when the HMT Rohna, on which he was a passenger, was attacked along with four other ships, by multiple Luftwaffe Heinkel 177 aircraft and sunk. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
He had served the Army for one year at the time of his death and was decorated with the Purple Heart.
Service # 12133696
Donald also has a "Cenotaph" in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Laurel, Delaware.
( see Family Links below )
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
Donald served as a Technician Fourth Grade in the 31st Signal Construction Battalion, U.S. Army during World War II.
He resided in Laurel, Sussex County, Delaware prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on November 6, 1942 in Camden, New Jersey. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Sales clerk and as being Single, without dependents.
The Rohna and four other troop ships left Oran in French Algeria with cargo and troops. Off Béjaïa, Algeria the convoy was attacked by an estimated 60 German Luftwaffe Heinkel 177's. One of the 177's, piloted by Hans Dochtermann, released a glide bomb that hit Rohna on her port side and she eventually sank.
1,138 men were killed, including 1,015 U.S. personnel. The attack is the largest loss of US troops at sea due to enemy action in a single incident. 35 U.S. troops of the 2,000 originally embarked later died of wounds.
Donald was declared "Missing In Action" when the HMT Rohna, on which he was a passenger, was attacked along with four other ships, by multiple Luftwaffe Heinkel 177 aircraft and sunk. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
He had served the Army for one year at the time of his death and was decorated with the Purple Heart.
Service # 12133696
Donald also has a "Cenotaph" in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Laurel, Delaware.
( see Family Links below )
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Laurel, Sussex County, Delaware prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on November 6, 1942 in Camden, New Jersey. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Sales clerk and as being Single, without dependents.
The Rohna and four other troop ships left Oran in French Algeria with cargo and troops. Off Béjaïa, Algeria the convoy was attacked by an estimated 60 German Luftwaffe Heinkel 177's. One of the 177's, piloted by Hans Dochtermann, released a glide bomb that hit Rohna on her port side and she eventually sank.
1,138 men were killed, including 1,015 U.S. personnel. The attack is the largest loss of US troops at sea due to enemy action in a single incident. 35 U.S. troops of the 2,000 originally embarked later died of wounds.
Donald was declared "Missing In Action" when the HMT Rohna, on which he was a passenger, was attacked along with four other ships, by multiple Luftwaffe Heinkel 177 aircraft and sunk. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
He had served the Army for one year at the time of his death and was decorated with the Purple Heart.
Service # 12133696
Donald also has a "Cenotaph" in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Laurel, Delaware.
( see Family Links below )
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
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