DONALD B. MESSERSCHMIDT, MAJ, USMC

From USNA Virtual Memorial Hall
Donald Messerschmidt '59

Date of birth: October 12, 1936

Date of death: July 29, 1969

Age: 32

Lucky Bag

From the 1959 Lucky Bag:

1959 Messerschmidt LB.jpg

DONALD B. MESSERSCHMIDT

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Thirteenth Company

Don left Purdue University and the rugged pledge life at the Alpha Tau Omega house for the four year course at Annapolis. Academics were a breeze, but Don claims to be one of the few men who took English as a Foreign Language. Although extremely good-natured, Don's pet peeve was to have someone insult or soil his "immaculate" caps. The purr of a sports car is music to the ears of this versatile man who likes to live fast, participate in sports, and appreciate the finer things in life. A look at the future will find Don in Naval Aviation.

1959 Messerschmidt LB.jpg

DONALD B. MESSERSCHMIDT

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Thirteenth Company

Don left Purdue University and the rugged pledge life at the Alpha Tau Omega house for the four year course at Annapolis. Academics were a breeze, but Don claims to be one of the few men who took English as a Foreign Language. Although extremely good-natured, Don's pet peeve was to have someone insult or soil his "immaculate" caps. The purr of a sports car is music to the ears of this versatile man who likes to live fast, participate in sports, and appreciate the finer things in life. A look at the future will find Don in Naval Aviation.

Loss

Donald was lost on July 29, 1969 when the aircraft he was piloting crashed near Quantico, Virginia.

Other Information

From the November 1969 issue of Shipmate:

Born in Fort Wayne, Ind., Maj. Messerschmidt attended Purdue University before he was graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1959 and reported to Basic School at Quantico. Following flight training at Pensacola and Corpus Christi, Maj. Messerschmidt served as a pilot with the Second Marine Air Wing based at Cherry Point, N. C, until 1963 when he returned to Corpus Christi as a flight instructor. From 1965 to 1968 he had instruction at the Postgraduate School, Monterey and at the Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Ariz. Maj. Messerschmidt was a pilot with the First Marine Air Wing in Vietnam for a year and in May 1969 joined Company C, Headquarters Battalion, Marine Corps Base, Development Center, Quantico, as project officer, Air Support Division.

Among other awards he held the Air Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnam Service Medal with four stars and the Vietnam Campaign Medal with 1960 device.

Survivors include his widow Gail and three daughters Deirdre, Demise and Heidi, of Qtrs. 0-2, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Va. 22134, and his parents Mr. and Mrs. Albert J. Messerschmidt of 2515 Lynn Ave., Fort Wayne, Ind. 46805.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Photographs

Related Articles

Guy Parsons, Jr. '59 and Jack Phillips '59 were also in 13th Company.


Class of 1959

Donald is one of 32 members of the Class of 1959 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

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