Donald, from Cullom and Pontiac, IL, served in the Army Air Forces with the 553rd Air Material Squadron, 347th Service Group, 20th Air Force in the Pacific. Donald's unit served on Iwo Jima after the Marines secured the air fields. He enlisted on January 2nd, 1942 at Chanute Field, IL and was honorably discharged on November 19th, 1945 at Camp Grant, IL. He was promoted to First Sergeant on April 18th, 1945. The 20th Air Force was also the unit that the 509th Composite Group was assigned. The 509th was the group that dropped both atomic groups on Japan in August of 1945.