PRIVATE R. FORD KILLED IN ACTION
Was Brother of Mrs. Will Zimmer
Mrs. W. J. Zimmer was notified Thursday that her brother, Pfc. Donald R. Ford, was killed in action, somewhere in the South Pacific area. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. O. E. Ford of Clear Lake Iowa, and joined the Marines in March 1942. He was 28 years of age.
Pfc. Ford fought at Guadalcanal and Tulagi and relatives believe he was killed while the marines were taking the Gilbert Islands.
Mrs. Zimmer last heard from her only brother in a letter which arrived here November 16, stating that he was “at sea.”
The only survivors are the young man’s parents and his sister, Mrs. Zimmer.
Source: LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, Tuesday, December 28, 1943
Parents Get Posthumous Award to Son
Ventura – Mr. and Mrs. O. E. Ford received the Purple Heart awarded posthumously to their son, Pfc. Donald R. Ford of the marine corps who was killed in action in the South Pacific Nov. 20.
They also received the presidential unit citation ribbon bar with blue enameled star for service in action against the enemy in the Solomon Islands.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Friday, February 11, 1944, Page 3
Gets Purple Heart
Mr. and Mrs. O. E. Ford, R. F. D. No. 1, Clear Lake, have received the purple heart decoration awarded posthumously to their son, Pfc. Donald R. Ford of the marine corps, who was killed in action in the South Pacific. News of his death arrived Dec. 24, 1943.
Mr. and Mrs. Ford also received the Presidential Unit Citation ribbon bar with blue enameled star for service in action against the enemy in the Solomon Islands.
Private Ford enlisted in the marines in March, 1942, and had been overseas about 20 months, taking part in the Guadalcanal siege and actions in the Solomons. He had received 3 medals for marksmanship as a gunner on a 60-mm. field gun.
Mr. and Mrs. Ford are planning a memorial service for their son to be held at the Methodist church in Garner Easter Sunday. Further announcement will be made.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Wednesday, February 16, 1944, Page 14 (photo included)
Memorial Planned
A memorial service for Pfc. Donald R. Ford of the U. S. marines, son of Mr. and Mrs. o. E. Ford, living southwest of Clear Lake, will be held at the First Methodist church, Garner, Easter Sunday at 2:30 o’clock. News of the death of Pvt. Ford in the Pacific area was received by his parents Dec. 24, 1943.
The family requests no flowers but anyone wishing to honor the memory of Pvt. Ford may designate his gift for the Soldier’s Memorial fun in Clear Lake, the First Methodist church memorial chime in Garner or the Navy Relief fund. Envelopes may be handed to the ushers.
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Navy Mothers Will Attend
Memorial at Garner Sunday
Clear Lake – Members of the Clear Lake Navy Mothers will attend the memorial services for Pfc. Donald R. Ford, a marine killed in action in the south Pacific last November, at the Methodist church in Garner Sunday afternoon.
Members are to meet at Legion hall Sunday at 1 o’clock. Those needing transportation are asked to contact Mrs. O. J. Pierce, commander, phone 295-LJ, and those having cars are requested to let Mrs. Pierce know how many they can accommodate. Those having uniforms are asked to wear them.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Wednesday, April 05, 1944, Page 4
Memorial Service for Garner Marine Sunday
Garner – A memorial service for Donald Rex Ford, who was killed in action in the southwest Pacific in December, will be held at the Methodist church Sunday at 2:30 p. m. The family requests no flowers but anyone wishing to honor Donald’s memory may designate a gift to the soldier’s memorial fund at Clear Lake, the Methodist church memorial chimes in Garner, or the navy relief. Envelopes may be handed to the ushers at the service.
Donald was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald E. Ford of Clear Lake, formerly of Garner. He was graduated from the Garner high school with the class of 1933, joined the marine corps reserve in 1942. He went through the Solomon island campaign. His last letter was written to home folks Nov. 16. He had not been home since going into service.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Friday, April 07, 1944, Page 08
$49 Given for Lake Soldier’s Memorial
Clear Lake – The sum of $49 was allocated to the Soldier’s Memorial fund of Clear Lake by friends paying tribute to Pfc. Donald Ford at the memorial services at Garner Sunday afternoon. The parents, Mr. and Mrs. O. D. Ford, had requested that no flowers be sent but indicated 3 funds to which persons wishing to honor Private Ford, a marine who lost his life in the Pacific area last November, might give whatever sum they wished. Many families living south of Clear Lake in the Ford neighborhood and several of Clear Lake attended the services.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, Wednesday, April 12, 1944, Page 7
Donald Rex Ford was born Apr. 11, 1915 to Orville E. and Ada Pearl Nauman Ford. He died Nov. 20, 1943 and is buried in Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City, IA. He was initially buried in one of the 2nd Marine Division cemeteries on Tarawa and returned to the U.S. in 1947.
Source: ancestry.com
