World War II Honoree

Donald L. Worthington

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Blackwell, Oklahoma

Honored By

B. June Gilliam Worthington

Relationship

Wife

ENLISTED AND ENTERED ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE ON OCTOBER 30, 1944 IN OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA. TOOK BASIC ARMORED FORCES TRAINING AT FORT KNOX AT LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. REASSIGNED TO FORT ORD AT MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT TO THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER. SAILED FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO PORT OF EMBARKATION ON APRIL 20, 1945 ABOARD THE TRANSPORT SHIP USS HOWELL LYKES AND ARRIVED AT HOLLANDIA, IN DUTCH NEW GUINEA, ON MAY 21, 1945. REASSIGNED TO THE PHILIPPINE ISLAND REPLACEMENT CENTER ON LEYTE, AND THEN FURTHER ASSIGNED TO THE GENERAL HEADQUARTERS, ARMED FORCES PACIFIC AREA COMMAND IN MANILA, ON LUZON, IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. PARTICIPATED IN THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES, AND LUZON CAMPAIGNS DURING HIS TOUR OF DUTY. WORKED 13 MONTHS IN GENERAL MACARTHUR’S HEADQUARTERS IN MANILA, AND AFTER THE END OF HOSTILITIES, MOVED TO TOKYO, JAPAN AS PART OF THE HEADQUARTERS’ RELOCATION TO SERVE GENERAL MACARTHUR IN HIS NEW ROLE AS SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER ALLIED POWERS, FOR THE OCCUPATION OF JAPAN. THERE, HE SERVED AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL CLERK HANDLING RESTRICTED, CONFIDENTIAL, SECRET AND TOP SECRET COMMUNICATIONS TO AND FROM GENERAL MACARTHUR AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE HEADQUARTERS STAFF. HE WAS PRIVY TO COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN GENERAL MACARTHUR AND JAPANESE OFFICIALS SPELLING OUT THE PROCEDURES TO EFFECT THE ACTUAL SURRENDER. HE WAS ALSO PRESENT WHEN JAPANESE GENERAL OFFICERS, REPRESENTING THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT, ARRIVED AT THE HEADQUARTERS, IN RESPONSE TO GENERAL MACARTHUR’S DIRECTIONS TO APPEAR. THERE, THEY LEARNED OF THE TERMS OF SURRENDER, AND THE TIME AND PLACE OF THE FORMAL SURRENDER CEREMONY OF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO THE ALLIES, AND PROTOCOLS FOR SIGNING THE DOCUMENTS OF SURRENDER. DEPARTED JAPAN TO RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES ON MAY 24, 1946 ABOARD THE U.S. ARMY TRANSPORT SHIP SEA BARB AND ARRIVED AT SEATTLE, WASHINGTON ON JUNE 2, 1946. THEN MOVED BY RAIL TO FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (2 CAMPAIGNS), AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL WITH BRONZE SERVICE STAR FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON JUNE 9, 1946 AT THE SEPARATION CENTER AT FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS WITH THE RANK OF TECHNICIAN THIRD GRADE AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.