Donald R. Neil
World War II
Don Neil was born on August 9, 1917, in St. Cloud, MN to Earl and Laura (Barnhart) Neil. Earl was a member of the St. Cloud Fire Department. Don attended school in St. Cloud and graduated from Technical High School in 1935.
Don enlisted in the US Navy on September 17, 1935, at Minneapolis, MN. He was assigned serial number 328 39 95. Don was sent to the Great Lakes Training Center near Chicago, IL for boot training. After that training and 10 days leave, he was sent to San Diego for assignment. On March 17, 1936, Don was assigned to the crew of the USS Nevada.
The USS Nevada was a front-line battleship that had been launched in 1916 and modernized in 1930. It was part of the US Pacific Fleet. Aside from time in the Puget Sound Navy Yard in 1937 and 1939 for overhaul, the ship would have sailed to a variety of Pacific ports. On July 12, 1939, Don’s enlistment was over and he was discharged at San Pedro, CA as a S1c (seaman first class).
Don returned to Minnesota. On October 16, 1940, he was required to register for the military draft even though he had already served a four-year enlistment. He indicated he was employed by Nash-Finch Company, a food distribution firm. On August 9, 1941, Don was married to Luella Rudolph in Minneapolis, MN.
Three months after his marriage, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor including the USS Nevada. On May 5, 1942, Don joined the US Coast Guard in Omaha, NE. By December 14, 1942, Don was a Storekeeper 3rd Class and stationed at St. Louis, MO. Storekeeper was a common rank in the US Coast Guard and involved procurement, storage and distribution of all classes of supplies.
During World War II, the US Coast Guard conducted search and rescue missions globally but also provided crews for warships. Information has been found suggesting Don was a part of a crew of a patrol frigate in the Pacific. A picture has been found of him firing a 20mm anti-aircraft gun. Coast Guardsmen often found themselves in the fight.
On January 13, 1944, Don was transferred from the Coast Guard base at Miami, FL to New Orleans, LA where he re-entered the US Navy. Don’s own account suggests he was re-assigned to the USS Nevada and was present during its bombardment of the Normandy beaches on D-Day.
Don was discharged in 1945 as a Storekeeper 1st Class (E-6 equivalent). Unfortunately, his marriage did not succeed. By 1950, he was living in San Diego, CA and employed as a fire fighter. On November 28, 1950, he married Marcella “Marcy” Lang in San Diego. Marcy had been born and raised in Templeton.
Don remained with the San Diego Fire Department retiring as a captain in 1970. The couple then moved back to Carroll. Sometime later, Don became an honorary member of the Templeton Fire Department. Don died in Carroll on February 4, 2012 at age 94. He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Templeton.