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Served 1942 - 1945

hammond d

Before the war Donald had a Japanese friend named Floyd Kaneko.  When Donald found out that Pearl Harbor was bombed he was really surprised and mad. His friend hoped that he could finish school before the Japanese and the Americans fought.  Donald trained at Scott Field,  Illinois, and Harlington Texas Airforce Gunnery.  His branch of service was Air Force. He trained in radio operations and radio gunnery.  His duty of location was at Pine Florida and others he didn't name.  Donald didn't train to fight in the war, he trained to be an experimental quadrant test detonator. 

One memory he recalled was testing detonators by flying at 20,000 feet.   They would throw the detonators in the sea and see if they would explode.  If they did then they would take it to Washington and show the President.  Another memory of the war was flying over land at night and seeing all the lights of the houses and streets. 

Donald says that during the war and after the war you get very close to your friends and family.  Donald says that he really appreciated the Americans and that he is glad that he is an American.  Donald says that if he could say something to kids today it would be to take care of yourself and your body first so that you can take care of your friends, family and everyone else around you.  Another thing is be proud of the United States and what it stands for.