World War II Honoree

Donald Billinger

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Long Beach, California

Honored By

Dan & Patty Scott

Relationship

Friends

SERVED ABOARD THE USS LEO AKA-60 AND MADE THE ASSAULT ON IWO JIMA WITH AMPHIBIOUS TF51 UNDER VICE ADMIRAL TURNER. TAKING THE 4TH MARINE DIVISION INTO YELLOW BEACH 2 AND WAS BLOWN OUT OF A LCVP LANDING CRAFT AND WAS WOUNDED. THEN MADE THE ASSAULT ON OKINAWA WITH THE 7TH MARINES USING LCVP AND LCM TO TRANSPORT THE MARINES TO THE ISLAND. WENT TO MANILA AND LOADED TROOPS AND EQUIPMENT OF THE 43RD DIVISION OF THE 8TH ARMY, AND TOOK THEM TO THE OCCUPATION OF YOKOSUKA, JAPAN. THEN PICKED UP THE 6TH MARINES, AND TOOK THEM TO OCCUPATION OF TSINGTA, CHINA. THEN ON TO PICK UP THE NATIONAL CHINESE IN ORDER TO TAKE THEM TO HAIPHONG FRENCH INDO CHINA AND MANY MORE ISLANDS. UPON COMPLETION OF THAT ASSIGNMENT CAME BACK TO SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, TRANSFERRING TO THE USS GOODWICH DD-831 AND ON TO TSINGTA CHINA, AND PUSAN, KOREA. ALSO SERVED ON THE PRESIDENT JACKSON APA-18.