David L. McDonald
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". David Lamar McDonald (September 12, 1906 – December 16, 1997) was an admiral in the United States Navy, who served as the 17th Chief of Naval Operations from 1 August 1963 to 1 August 1967 during the Vietnam War era.
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Early life and education
McDonald was born in Maysville, Georgia, on September 12, 1906. He originally sought to go to the United States Military Academy, receiving a nomination from Representative Thomas Montgomery Bell of the 9th Congressional District.[1] After learning he was 2 months and 12 days too young, he opted to attend Riverside Military Academy first, then entered the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1928.[1]
Before becoming a naval aviator, McDonald was assigned to the battleship Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and the battleship Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"..[2] He spent three years, from 1935 to 1938, as a flight instructor at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida. Between 1938 and 1955, he served as flag secretary of the aircraft command of the United States Atlantic Fleet, commander of the Naval Operational Training Command, executive officer of the aircraft carrier Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". in the Pacific and assistant chief of staff for operations of the United States Pacific Fleet.[2]
From 1951 to 1952, McDonald served as the commander of the escort carrier Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".. During the mid-1950s, McDonald commanded the aircraft carrier Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".. In the early 1960s, before becoming Chief of Naval Operations, he served as Commander, United States Sixth Fleet. At the time of his selection as Chief of Naval Operations, he was the youngest full admiral in the navy, and had only received his fourth star a month prior.[1]
While serving as the Chief of Naval Operations, he denounced the alleged cover-up surrounding the 1967 USS Liberty incident: “I think that much of this is extraneous and it leaves me with the feeling that we’re trying our best to excuse the attackers…Were I a parent of one of the deceased this release would burn me up. I myself do not subscribe to it.”[3][4]
In 1976, nearly a decade after he retired, McDonald wrote in his autobiography of his participation in the escalation of the Vietnam War: Template:Quote
The airfield at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, is named after McDonald.
Awards
- Navy Distinguished Service Medal with gold star
- Legion of Merit
- Bronze Star Medal with "V" device
- Navy Commendation Medal with "V" device and gold star
- Presidential Unit Citation with bronze star
- American Defense Service Medal with "A" device
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one silver and one bronze star
- World War II Victory Medal
- Navy Occupation Medal
- National Defense Service Medal with star
- Philippine Liberation Medal with two stars
References
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- ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b David Lamar McDonald, 91, Former Senior Naval Officer, New York Times, December 23, 1997
- ↑ https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2017/june/spy-ship-left-out-cold
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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External links
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- Pages with script errors
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- 1906 births
- 1997 deaths
- Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state)
- United States Navy admirals
- United States Naval Academy alumni
- Chiefs of Naval Operations
- United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War
- Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- People from Maysville, Georgia
- Riverside Military Academy alumni