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NAME Donald Aubrey Black |
NICKNAME Sonny |
SERVICE NUMBER 379519 |
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| UNIT VMTB-143 Radioman / Gunner |
HOME OF RECORD Frederick, OK |
NEXT OF KIN Sister, Mrs. Helen L. White |
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| DATE OF BIRTH January 30, 1925 at Frederick, OK |
ENTERED SERVICE May 8, 1942 at Dallas, TX |
DATE OF LOSS July 26, 1943 |
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| REGION Solomon Islands |
CAMPAIGN / AREA New Georgia / Munda |
CASUALTY TYPE Killed In Action |
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| CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS PFC Donald A. Black was a radioman and gunner who served with VMTB-143, a Marine torpedo bomber squadron operating in the Solomon Islands in the summer of 1943. On 26 July, 1Lt. Jean S. Labat was ordered to take his Avenger over Munda to spot targets for artillery fire. Labat collected his crew – SSgt. James H. Hicks and PFC Black – and took off in TBF-1 #47508. They arrived over the target area as planned, but at 1030 hours the bomber was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Labat and Hicks hit the silk and landed near Rendova Island. They watched for a third parachute, but PFC Black never emerged from the burning plane. The two survivors were rescued from Rendova two days later. They never saw Donald Black again; his remains were lost at sea with the plane. |
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| INDIVIDUAL DECORATIONS Air Medal, Purple Heart |
LAST KNOWN RANK Private First Class |
STATUS OF REMAINS Lost at sea. |
MEMORIALS Belleville-Bourland Cemetery Manila American Cemetery |
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Biography:
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