World War II Honoree

Donald J. Connell

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Maywood, Illinois

Honored By

Don Gillig, Sr.

Relationship

Nephew

SIGNALMAN, SERVED TWO TIMES IN THE PACIFIC. FIRST TIME WAS THROUGH 1943 ON LST 397 IN THE FIRST LST FLOTILLA IN THE PACIFIC AND IN ALL THE MAJOR LANDINGS IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS, AFTER GUADALCANAL, UP THROUGH BOUGAINVILLE. SECOND DUTY TOUR WAS WITH A NEW LCI FLOTILLA, AND HE SERVED ON LCI 966 IN 1944 AT LANDINGS ON MOROTAI, LEYTE, AND MINDORO AND THEN THROUGH 1945 ON LCI 972, FLAG VESSEL OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM DEUTERMANN, AT OTHER LANDINGS IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. ALSO SERVED ON STAFF OF CAPTAIN DEUTERMANN IN JULY, 1945, ON U.S. COAST GUARD CUTTER INGHAM FOR ATTACKS ON MINDANAO.