World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Donald W. 'Pug' Ward
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
Lake Valley, Oklahoma
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
ENLISTED AT AGE 17 IN THE U.S. NAVY IN MAY, 1942 ONLY DAYS AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. BECAME THE EIGHTH WARD-FAMILY BROTHER TO VOLUNTEER FOR SERVICE. HIS FAMILY IS BELIEVED TO BE THE ONLY FAMILY IN USA HISTORY TO HAVE EIGHT BROTHERS IN MILITARY SERVICE SERVING OVERSEAS SIMULTANEOUSLY DURING WARTIME. SERVED AS A GUNNER IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD THE ATTACK TRANSPORT SHIP USS FELAND (APA-11) AND THE BATTLESHIP USS IOWA (BB-61). PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS AT TARAWA IN THE GILBERT ISLANDS, KWAJALEIN IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS, SAIPAN AND GUAM IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS, LEYTE AND LINGAYEN GULF IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, AND IWO JIMA. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.