World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Donald Arthur Gary
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
Findlay, Ohio
Honored By
Ralph Bozorth
HE WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. LIEUTENANT, JUNIOR GRADE, U.S. NAVY, USS FRANKLIN CV-13. PLACE AND DATE: JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS NEAR KOBE, JAPAN, MARCH 19, 1945. ENTERED AT OHIO. CITATION FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AS AN ENGINEERING OFFICER ATTACHED TO THE USS FRANKLIN CV-13 WHEN THAT VESSEL WAS FIERCELY ATTACKED BY ENEMY AIRCRAFT DURING THE OPERATIONS AGAINST THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS NEAR KOBE, JAPAN, MARCH 19, 1945. STATIONED ON THE THIRD DECK WHEN THE SHIP WAS ROCKED BY A SERIES OF VIOLENT EXPLOSIONS SET OFF IN HER OWN READY BOMBS, ROCKETS AND AMMUNITION BY THE HOSTILE ATTACK, HE UNHESITATINGLY RISKED HIS LIFE TO ASSIST SEVERAL HUNDRED MEN TRAPPED IN A MESSING COMPARTMENT FILLED WITH SMOKE AND WITH NO APPARENT EGRESS. AS THE IMPERILED MEN BELOW DECKS BECAME INCREASINGLY PANIC STRICKEN UNDER THE RAGING FURY OF INCESSANT EXPLOSIONS, HE CONFIDENTLY ASSURED THEM HE WOULD FIND A MEANS OF EFFECTING THEIR RELEASE AND, GROPING THROUGH THE DARK, DEBRIS FILLED CORRIDORS, ULTIMATELY DISCOVERED AN ESCAPE WAY. STAUNCHLY DETERMINED, HE STRUGGLED BACK TO THE MESSING COMPARTMENT 3 TIMES DESPITE MENACING FLAMES, FLOODING WATER, AND THE OMINOUS THREAT OF SUDDEN ADDITIONAL EXPLOSIONS, ON EACH OCCASION CALMLY LEADING HIS MEN THROUGH THE BLANKETING PALL OF SMOKE UNTIL THE LAST ONE HAD BEEN SAVED. SELFLESS IN HIS CONCERN FOR HIS SHIP AND HIS FELLOWS, HE CONSTANTLY RALLIED OTHERS ABOUT HIM, REPEATEDLY ORGANIZED AND LED FIRE-FIGHTING PARTIES INTO THE BLAZING INFERNO ON THE FLIGHT DECK AND, WHEN FIRE ROOMS 1 AND 2 WERE FOUND TO BE INOPERABLE, ENTERED THE NUMBER 3 FIRE ROOM AND DIRECTED THE RAISING OF STEAM IN 1 BOILER IN THE FACE OF EXTREME DIFFICULTY AND HAZARD. AN INSPIRING AND COURAGEOUS LEADER, HE RENDERED SELF SACRIFICING SERVICE UNDER THE MOST PERILOUS CONDITIONS AND, BY HIS HEROIC INITIATIVE, FORTITUDE AND VALOR, WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAVING OF SEVERAL HUNDRED LIVES. HIS CONDUCT THROUGHOUT REFLECTS THE HIGHEST CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND UPON THE U.S. NAVAL SERVICE.