© Dawn LeForce
© Dawn LeForce
Donald Ray, at age 17, joined the US Marines & after basic training was sent to Vietnam where one month and nine days later he was with a platoon of Marines that was attacked by Viet-Cong. Shrapnel split his right arm from shoulder to elbow & shattered the bones at the joint. Although doctors wanted to amputate Donald would not give his consent. All other Marines in his platoon were killed. After receiving an honorable discharge & recovering from his wounds Donald attended OSU at Stillwater OK where in 1973 he received a chemical engineering degree.
Donald married Donna Cloud & they had one son. Don died 10/21/1979 in Atlanta Georgia & was buried in the Southland Memorial Park Cemetery in Grand Prairie TX.
Per our aunt Vi, his mom, my aunt Betty, had him moved to Vinita's Fairview Cemetery before she passed so they could be buried near each other.