COL Donald Wayne Anderson, USMC (Ret.), 93, of Pensacola, FL passed away Friday, September 9, 2022.

Donald was raised in a small Montana town. He worked on a family cattle ranch until he enlisted in 1948 at age 18. His father was a WWI fighter pilot who barnstormed around Montana in his Jenny, which helped inspire Donald to be a military aviator.

Donald entered flight training as a naval aviation cadet in late 1949. He trained as a fighter pilot and when he got his 2nd Lt. Commission in 1951, the Korean War had broken out and he joined a fighter attack squadron in Korea. When he completed flying combat missions, he volunteered to become a forward air controller with a Marine Battalion on the front lines during the 1953 Winter Offensive. During the Vietnam War, he flew combat missions during two tours, ending up as a Fighter Squadron Commander. As a senior officer, he was Director of Marine Aviation Training in D.C., and was chosen for a DOD Team to go to Israel after the Yom Kippur War as a "Lessons Learned" mission. He ended his career as Chief-of-Staff of a Marine Corps Air Wing. Donald graduated from the USAF Aerospace University and NSA's National War College and had a BAEMS. He always said he was a "C" student who led an "A" life.

A memorial visitation will be held 10:00am-11:00am Tuesday, September 20, 2022, at Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel. COL Anderson will be laid to rest privately at Barrancas National Cemetery.