Donald Lawrence Wilson

WILSON, DONALD LAWRENCE, CAPT. USN. Ret., born on December 5, 1919, in Suisun, California, passed away on August 22, 2004, at home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, at the age of 84. He was predeceased by a sister, Elaine, and brother, Richard. He will be sorely missed by his wife, the former Grace Brady of Miami Shores, three children (Candice Coghill, Stuart, Florida; Melissa Wilson, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; and Donald L. Wilson, Jr., and his wife Terri, Houston, Texas) and three grandchildren (Donald L. Wilson III, Brandon Wilson, and Jennifer Coghill), many loving nieces and nephews, and the hundreds of friends he made over the years. The emergency landing of Burr Winslow, an airmail aviation pioneer, on the family's ranch was Don's inspiration for his career in aviation. After high school graduation and three years of Aeronautical Engineering at the University of California at Berkeley, Don left college to join the Navy's airman program at Pensacola, FL. On December 12, 1940, Don graduated, was commissioned as an Ensign, and received his Navy wings. Don served as a Flight Instructor and was ordered to the Pacific Fleet where his bombing squadron VB-18 (The Sunday Punchers) trained as a combat unit and was assigned to the carrier USS Intrepid. First attached to VB-18 as it Operations Officer, Don eventually became Squadron Commander. He flew many combat sorties and received multiple decorations including the Navy Cross (for scoring a direct hit on a Japanese battleship during the Battle of Leyte Gulf), the Air Medal, and five theater awards, including the Philippine Liberation Medal with 2 stars. Upon leaving the Navy, Don joined National Airlines as a pilot during November, 1945. Over a commercial aviation career that spanned the years 1946 - 1979, Don piloted many types of commercial aircraft until retiring as a DC10 captain on December 5, 1979. Don enjoyed membership in The Quiet Birdmen. Don was also an avid sailor and a member of the Gulf Stream Sailing Club, the Coral Reef Yacht Club, and the Indian River Yacht Club. For seven years, he raced in the Southern Ocean Racing Conference, including one season on a 12-meter. There will be no local services. Interment will be at 3 PM on October 20, 2004 at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to any of The Intrepid Museum Foundation, One Intrepid Square, West 45th Street and 12th Avenue, New York, New York, 10036. Attn Lara Coury. The Foundation for the National Museum of Aviation, 1750 Radford Blvd. Suite B, N.A.S. Pensacola, Florida 32508, Suncoast Hurricane Society, Disaster Relief Fund for Animal Victims of Hurricane Charly, 678 San Casa Drive, Englewood, FL 34224. Arrangements by TAYLOR & MODEEN FUNERAL HOME, 250 Center St. Jupiter, FL To visit this Guest Book Online, go to www.herald.com/obituaries.