Donald Lewis Shannon, Corporal, United States Army Air Corps
Born, Lawrence, Kansas, 19 September 1924
Deceased, Ascension Islands, 10 May 1945

First child of Walter James Shannon and Mary Katherine Smith
Brother of Richard Lee Shannon, Elizabeth Louise Shannon, and James Lawrence Shannon. Described by his siblings as “the pick of the litter.”

Graduated from Royal Oak (Michigan) High School at age 17, where he was a talented runner and good student.

Drafted into the United States Army Air Corps during his Freshman Year at the University of Michigan, 1942, following his 18th birthday and eligibility for service.

Killed when the landing gear on the aircraft, en route from Dakar to Brazil, failed during a refuel stop on Ascension Island.  Died during the crash by the explosion of a fuel tank while checking on passengers in the cargo hold.  He was initially buried on Ascension Island but was re-interred to Arlington after the war. Buried in Section 10, Site 11056, next to his maternal uncle Harold Dewey Smith, Arlington National Cemetery.

SMITH, HAROLD DEWEY
APPRENTICE SEAMAN U S NAVAL RES FORCE
DATE OF BIRTH: 06/06/1898
DATE OF DEATH: 01/23/1947
BURIED AT: SECTION 10 EH  SITE 11056 EH
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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