Remembering Uncle Don Wilson on his birthday. He was born in Guthrie County, Iowa, September 14, 1916, the second son of Clabe and Leora Wilson.
He and older brother Delbert joined the Navy in 1934, in order not to be a burden on the rest of the family during the Great Depression. Donald stayed in and joined the crew of the brand new USS Yorktown (CV-5) in 1937. He ended up in more combat than any of the Wilson brothers.
This is the first part of my story Donald Wilson: Family Hero from the chapter on veterans in The Immigrant and the Outlaw: A Collection of Stories from America’s Heartland:
Most of the heroes among us are just ordinary people. Like my Uncle Don Wilson. I knew him as Mom’s brother, who lived way out in Washington State.
And who liked to fish.
When I was a kid growing up on an Iowa farm, the best part of getting a fat letter from Aunt Rose was a picture of Uncle Don with a big salmon. Mom’s older brother had been a commercial fisherman. Even when he later took a job with the Washington Department of Transportation, he still headed out with his boat on Willapa Bay every chance he got.
So every fishing season, we’d get snapshots of him with a huge fish hanging from one hand and a fishing pole in the other. Dressed in faded jeans and a plaid shirt, usually a vest with lots of pockets.
Sometimes a U.S. Navy cap–either the USS Hancock. Or the USS Yorktown.
Although Mom rarely mentioned the war–World War II, she’d told us that her brother Don, who grew up in Dexter, Iowa, had been a sailor on the famous Yorktown–the one lost during a big battle in the Pacific Ocean. And that he had had to tread water for an hour before being rescued.
Every few years, Uncle Don and Aunt Rose would drive back to Iowa to visit. I was unaware of all the other combat he’d survived, all the heartache he’d been through, all the complexity of this seemingly-ordinary man.
As teenagers, sis Gloria and I traveled by train with Grandma to the West Coast to visit relatives, including Don and Rose in Washington. In 1962 they lived in a little house out along Washington’s Naselle River. As soon as they learned we were coming, Uncle Don added a room to their home–an indoor bathroom.
Since Aunt Rose didn’t drive, they had only a pickup. Don, Rose, and Grandma sat up front, but they had lined the bed of the pickup with couch cushions so Gloria and I could ride in comfort. One foggy day we joined a crowd of clam diggers, and carried our limit home to try fried clams and make clam chowder. Digging them was more fun than eating them for farm girls used to Iowa beef and pork.
Years later, l learned that not only had Uncle Don been on THE Yorktown during the Battle of Midway, but that he had had to abandon ship twice. The 25-year-old spent an hour in the oily Pacific after Japanese bombs had crippled the ship. The next day the carrier was listing, dead in the water but still afloat. A few dozen men reboarded the crippled ship for a salvage attempt.
One of them was Donald Wilson.
After doing repairs all morning on a lower level of the ship all morning, he clambered up to the deck for a sandwich. An alarm blared. Don jumped up and saw the torpedoes in the water, speeding right at his ship. He ran to the fantail and leaped a second time. A nearby ship rescued him and others.
The next morning, asleep on the deck, he was nudged awake. Many of the sailors wept as they stood at attention to witness their ship roll over and plunge into the ocean.
Donald Wilson first joined the Navy with his older brother in 1934, during the Great Depression when there were no jobs for teenagers, nor for their father. Don stayed in the Navy and in 1937 became a “plank owner” on the brand new Yorktown–meaning he was a member of the crew when a ship was placed in commission.
“I served on her her whole life,” Don later wrote.
He later received a citation, signed by Admiral Chester Nimitz, for being part of that salvage attempt. . . .
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The rest of the story is in The Immigrant and the Outlaw, but you may listen to it here, produced by Our American Stories.
The family story is Leora’s Letters: The Story of Love and Loss for an Iowa Family During World War II.
Hello Joy, this was a great snippet from your book, which I enjoyed and gave a five star review!
In today’s post, it was interesting to learn about how he had to jump ship twice. Also, how joining the military was an option where there were a few jobs and the great depression impact.
Another thing that came to mine was the battle of Midway. I watched a great show about it and about the captain that knew the code for Midway with the Japanese language and helped the US prepare anyhow, it was enjoyable to read Wilson’s experience at Midway.
Thank you, Yvette! He saw more combat than anyone in the family, and he lost all three younger brothers.
This is a beautiful photo and memory. Thanks for sharing, Joy x
Thank you, Harmony! Uncle Don saw more combat than anyone in the family, and he lost all three younger brothers.
A true American hero! Thank you for reprising Don’s story.
Thanks, Liz! And on his birthday!
You’re welcome, Joy!
My dad served briefly on the Second Yorktown (CV 10) with Bombing Group Nine. The group then moved to the Lexington (CV 16). A wonderful story, Joy.
I didn’t know that, John. Have you ever visited the CV-10 museum? One year Uncle Don and Aunt Rose drove all the way across country (they lived in SW Washington State) to SC to visit it! I’ve got a picture of him there. Uncle Don saw the most combat of any of the family, and lost his three younger brothers.
My husband and I visited the USS Yorktown in South Carolina in April 2025. I thought of Don as I walked around on the different decks and living spaces of this aircraft carrier. Falling into the water from such a massive warship must have been terrifying.
Oh! Still on my bucket list! And, Nancy, he jumped twice, with depth charges going off the second time, into oily water. I never asked him about nightmares, but surely. . .
Don’s story will never NOT summon tears, Joy. There’s something about hearing about the decision to join the service in order to lighten the burden on family…as a prelude to so much sacrifice and heroism to come…that moves me to my core. Happy Forever birthday to your uncle, dear Joy. He’s being remembered well today, thanks to you. 💝💝💝
Thank you so much, Vicki!
❤️❤️❤️
You are writing what should not be forgotten, Joy, a legacy too for future generations. I admire all of the detail in this post, Joy.
Growing up in a Mennonite family, I did not hear of war heroes in my lineage, but I did learn that my pacifist grandfather, Henry Longenecker, did donate scrap metal to stop Hitler.
This means a lot, Marian. Thank you.
It’s nice to learn about your uncle Don on his birthday, Joy. It’s wonderful that he survived the sinking of his ship. ❤️🙏 I sure look forward to reading your book and sorry that it is taking so long for me to get to it.
Thank you, Tim. Don and Rose didn’t have any children, so I’m especially glad to remember him. I hope you’ll enjoy the book!
😍
Not family, but a family member (through marriage) of mine has family in Guthrie, Iowa. I’ve hear a good deal about this woman. It’s amazing how a simple connection like that makes the story closer. The stories you’ve shared are important, real and personal. The resonate with all of us. Thank you for sharing them.
Do you know the name of the Guthrie Center family? I’m still connected with several people there who remember Leora Wilson! Thank you, Dan.
I’ll have to check.