This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Kent Weekly (SS) (DBF), EMCS
to remember
Carpenter, Donald Marshall (Doc), LCDR USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Hopbottom, PA
Last Address Coronado, Ca
Date of Passing Apr 04, 1940
Location of Interment Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery (VA) - San Diego, California
Donald Marshall Carpenter was an early naval aviator in the United States Navy flying from the USS Langley (CV-1) and USS Lexington (CV-2). These were the first two aircraft carriers of the U.S. Navy.
He graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy in the Class of 1916, representing Pennsylvania. He is the namesake of the USS Carpenter (DD-825).
Medically retired in October 1936.
Other Comments:
On 18 June 1945, Mrs. Edward S. Shaw, sister of Carpenter’s widow Clara, wrote to Admiral King, then Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet (who had commanded Lexington when Carpenter had commanded VS-3B) suggesting that a ship be named for the late leader of VP-5F’s historic flight in 1933, citing the "sincere respect" her brother-in-law had felt for King. "I sincerely hope you will not consider me presumptuous," she wrote, "but if you could lend your approval to such an honor for ‘Doc’ as we all knew him, I would appreciate it very much."
"Please do this if you can," King wrote to the Chief of Naval Personnel, who recommended the name assignment on 10 July 1945; consequently, on 14 July 1945, Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal assigned the name Carpenter to DD-825.
In writing to Secretary Forrestal upon being informed of the naming of the ship, Carpenter’s widow wrote on 9 August 1945 of her “deep appreciation of the honor bestowed on my two sons and me in the naming of this ship for my late husband and I hope her record will be one of which to be proud...".
1935-1936, Aircraft Squadrons, Pacific Fleet, Naval Air Forces Pacific Fleet
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