WALKER-DONALD

LIEUTENANT DONALD EARL WALKER, DC, USNR (1919 – 1986)

Donald Earl Walker was born in Spokane, Washington 12 June 1919.   He was the only child of Joseph and Gertrude Lillian (Parcklay) Walker.  He graduated Lewis and Clark High School in June, 1937 and began his college studies at Washington State College (now Washington State University) in Pullman, Washington in September of 1937.

In May of 1936, while still a high school student Donald Walker enlisted in the Washington National Guard and served to May of 1939 with the rank of Corporal in the 161^st Infantry Regiment. 

In 1939 Donald was accepted to dental college at North Pacific College of Oregon (now Oregon Health Sciences University School of Dentistry) in Portland, Oregon.  In May, 1942 he was commissioned Ensign in the Naval Reserve.  Following graduation from dental school in February of 1943 he was promoted Lieutenant Junior Grade.  In May 1943 he received orders to report to Naval Training Station, Farragut, Idaho.   

By May of 1944 Dr. Walker had been reassigned to the 3^rd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force Pacific. After training at Fleet Marine Force Training Center, Camp Elliott (part of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton), San Diego, California during which time it is probable he attended the Field Medical Training Course, he joined the 3^rd Marine Division at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.  On 3 June the Division sailed for Kwajalein, Marshall Islands enroute to the Mariana Islands and the Battle of Saipan. 

The 3^rd Marine Division remained afloat off Saipan from 15-28 June 1944 as part of the strategic reserve.  The 2^nd and 4^th Marine Divisions, along with the 27^th Army Infantry Division comprised the assault force for the Battle of Saipan.  With the Saipan operation under control, the 3^rd Marine Division returned to Kwajalein to await the target date for the Battle of Guam, scheduled for 21 July 1944.   

On 21 July the 3^rd Marine Division, in conjunction with the 1^st Provisional Marine Brigade and the 77^th Army Infantry Division assaulted Guam.  After 20 days of savage fighting, the island was declared secure on 10 August.

On 01 August 1944 Dr. Walker was promoted lieutenant.  On 10 October Dr. Walker augmented to the regular Navy (USN).  In October of 1944 Dr. Walker was assigned to H&S Company, 3^rd Medical Battalion, Service Troops, 3^rd Marine Division.  He would remain assigned to 3^rd Medical Battalion until the conclusion of the Battle of Iwo Jima in April of 1945.

Following the Battle for Guam, the 3^rd Marine Division remained on Guam for training until they embarked as part of the landing force for the Battle of Iwo Jima.  Initially the 3^rd Marine Division was again held offshore in strategic reserve at Iwo Jima as the 4^th and 5^th Marine Divisions comprised the initial assault force on 19 February 1945.  As a result of the 4^th and 5^th Marine Division’s rifle regiments sustaining more than 2,400 casualties on 19 February, starting on 20 February through 24 February the 3^rd Marine Division was committed one regiment at a time to relieve the decimated assault regiments of the 4^th and 5^th Marine Divisions. 

Dr. Walker landed on Iwo Jima on 21 February 1945 and served initially as a Beach Master, guiding landing craft to assigned positions on the beach.  Once he completed this collateral duty, he re-joined 3^rd Medical Battalion where he treated battle casualties until the close of the campaign on 26 March.  For his service at Iwo Jima Dr. Walker was cited in a Letter of Commendation by the Commanding General of the 3^rd Marine Division, Major General Groves B. Erskine, USMC.  The citation in part states: “Lieutenant Walker displayed outstanding skill, perseverance and devotion to duty in caring for the wounded, when although assigned to a rear area aid station, he voluntarily went forward to work on the front lines.  He assisted materially in the more rapid treatment and evacuation of the wounded.  His skill in the primary treatment of wounds and his coolness under fire resulted in the saving of many lives.”  Dr. Walker was indeed fortunate to leave Iwo Jima Island alive as 842 Navy Corpsman, Navy Dentists and Navy Physicians were killed (mostly Corpsman) during this bloodiest of invasions in the Pacific Theatre. 

The invasion of Iwo Jima remains the only battle in the Pacific Theatre during World War II where Navy and Marine Corps casualties, 26,000, exceeded the casualties of the Japanese at 22,000.  One of every three Marines or Sailors of the invasion force were either killed or wounded at Iwo Jima.  Fully one-third of all US Marine Corps casualties in WWII occurred during the 36 days of fighting on Iwo Jima Island.  Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz offered the US Marines and Sailors on Iwo Jima one of the most memorable tributes of World War II:  “Among the Americans who served on Iwo Island, uncommon valor was a common virtue.”

By 17 April Dr. Walker had returned to Guam where the 3^rd Marine Division began reconstituting its Iwo Jima combat losses, and training for the invasion of Japan.  Fortunately, with the surrender of Japan on 15 August 1945 the invasion did not have to take place. 

For his service in World War II, Dr. Walker was authorized the following decorations and awards:  Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat “V” device; Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon; Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with USMC Combat Operations Device and two bronze stars; World War II Victory Medal.

In late 1945 Dr. Walker returned to the United States and was ordered to the U.S. Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  In December of 1945 he married Jean Canning in Oxnard, California.

On 4 January 1947 Dr. Walker resigned his commission in the Navy and was processed for separation in Boston, Massachusetts.  He returned to Spokane, Washington and practiced general dentistry until the summer of 1951.

By July of 1951 Dr. Walker began training as the very first oral surgery resident at the University of California Medical Center, San Francisco, California.  He completed his residency training in 1953, whereupon he formed a partnership with Dr. Donald Kennedy in an oral surgery specialty practice in Berkeley, California.  Dr. Walker and Dr. Kennedy both taught oral surgery part-time at the University of California School of Dentistry and practiced oral surgery until 1968.

Dr. Walker took a leave from his practice and the University in 1968 to spend six months on the Hospital Ship Hope off the coast of South America where he provided oral surgery services to patients.  Subsequent to his service on the Hope Dr. Walker returned to his practice of oral surgery in Berkeley, CA.

Tragically, Dr. Walker was killed in a general aviation aircraft accident at Rio Vista, California on 12 September 1986.

He was survived by his wife, Jean (1921-2009) and his daughter, Ann Marie (1947-).  His son, Stephen (1951 - 1972) drowned in a scuba diving accident in Baja, California.

Compiled from the military records of LT Donald E. Walker, DC, USNR obtained from the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, MO.  Additional facts presented corroborated by family members, other 3^rd parties, and/or by the personal knowledge of RADM Birtcil in personal conversations with Dr. Donald E. Walker. 

Narrative written and submitted to the Navy Log by:  Rear Admiral Robert F. Birtcil, USN(Ret.)