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Contact Info
Home Town Muskegon, MI
Last Address In 1992, Don and Tish moved to the Indian River Colony Club in Viera, FL. They moved to Ocala, FL, in 2006 and in 2011, moved to Gainesville and resided at The Village.
Date of Passing Oct 19, 2015
Location of Interment Florida National Cemetery (VA) - Bushnell, Florida
Captain Donald Alfred Dertien, USN (Ret.) Pearl Harbor Survivor, Veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam era.
Donald enlisted in the Navy in 1940, and he was commissioned an ensign in 1941 after successfully completing the Navy's "90-day wonder program" on the USS Arkansas (BB-33). He was stationed at Pearl Harbor and was aboard the USS Farragut (DD-348), at the time of the attack. The Farragut was berthed in a nest of destroyers in East Loch, Pearl Harbor, at the time of the Japanese attack on 7 December 1941. He was stationed on the Farragut until 1943 and was then transferred to another destroyer, the USS Halford (DD-480), until the end of the war. During his wartime service, he was awarded 11 battle stars including Guadalcanal, Wake Island, Coral Sea, Marianas Islands Campaign (Navy Commendation Medal) and Leyte Gulf (Bronze Star with Valor). In his quiet and humble manner, he was proud to have served his country at a crucial time in its history and to have been a Pearl Harbor survivor.
The brightest moment during this tumultuous time was when he married Tish on April 6, 1943, at St. James Cathedral in Seattle, WA, with shipmates from the USS Halford as the wedding party. They celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary this past April.
After the conclusion of WWII, he returned to Muskegon for a short time only to discover that he missed the Navy and re-enlisted shortly thereafter. His Navy career included tours in Rhode Island, California, Washington, D.C., Japan, Korea and the Panama Canal Zone. He also served on the USS Rodman (DMS 21) and USS Helena (CA-75), and was the commanding officer of the USS Cony (DDE-508) during NATO Operation Mariner, USS Luzon (ARG-2) and USS Graffias (AF-29).
In between ship assignments, he earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees and was the last Superintendent of the U.S Naval Weapons Plant in Washington, D.C. Near the end of his naval career, he was assigned to the Panama Canal Company in the role of Chief of the Navigation Division. The following year he was promoted to Marine Director, responsible for all direct operations of the canal. In December 1968, he retired from the U. S. Navy after more than 28 years of distinguished service attaining the rank of Captain in 1962.
He launched a second career with the Panama Canal Company, first as the Chief of the Executive Planning Staff then serving as the first civilian Marine Director. During this time he served as a technical advisor in the drafting and negotiation of the Panama Canal Treaty. He retired from the Panama Canal Company in 1976.
NEC 111X-Unrestricted Line Officer - Surface Warfare
Base, Station or City Not Specified
State/Country Not Specified
Patch
USS Luzon (ARG-2) Details
USS Luzon (ARG-2)
Luzon Class Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship:
Laid down, 8 April 1943, as SS Samuel Bowles a Maritime Commission type (EC-2-S-C1) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 981) at Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, MD.
Launched, 14 May 1943
Acquired by the Navy, 24 May 1943, from the Maritime Commission and converted to an Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship at Maryland Drydock Co, Baltimore, MD.
Commissioned USS Luzon (ARG-2), 12 October 1943, CDR. Elmer R. Runquist in command
During World War II USS Luzon was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
Following World War II USS Luzon performed occupation service in the Far East from 3 October to 24 December 1945
Decommissioned, 25 March 1947, at Orange, TX.
Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Orange, TX.
Recommissioned, 20 September 1950, CDR. W. F. Christie in command
During the Korean War USS Luzon participated in the following campaign:
Korean War Campaign
Campaign and Dates
Korea, Summer-Fall 1953, 14 to 17 July 1953
Decommissioned, 3 June 1960, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.
Transferred to the Maritime Commission for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Benecia, CA.
Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1961
USS Luzon earned one battle star for Korean War service
Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 26 August 1974, to Sangyong Trading Co., Seoul, South Korea.
Specifications: Displacement 4,023 t.(lt) 14,350 t.(trial) Length 441' 6" Beam 56' 11" Draft 23' (lim) Speed 12.5 kts. (trial) Complement
Officers 31
Enlisted 552 Largest Boom Capacity 10 t. Armament
one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount
one 3"/50 gun mount
two twin 40mm AA gun mounts
twelve single 20mm AA gun mounts Ship's Service Generators
three 350Kw 450V A.C.
two 60Kw 120V D.C. Fuel Oil Capacity 19,540Bbls Propulsion
one General Machine Corp. vertical triple expansion reciprocating steam engine
two Babcock and Wilcox header-type boilers 220psi 450°
single propeller, 2,500shp
After recommissioned: Luzon was recommissioned at San Diego on 3 November. After completing training off southern California, she sailed for the Far East on 9 March 1956. She arrived at Sasebo on 9 April, and began duty as station repair ship for Service Squadron 3. During the next 4 years she remained in the western Pacific, supporting peacekeeping operations of the 7th Fleet. Although based at Sasebo, she steamed to Okinawa, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and to various Japanese ports while carrying out her assigned tasks.