Rank and Name, Ensign Donald Erskine Baxter.
Unit/Placed in, Torpedo Squadron 20 (VT-20), United States Naval Reserve.
Donald is born approx. on 18 June 1921, in Los Angeles, California.
Mother, Beardsle.
Spouse, Martha (Baird) Baxter.
Donald enlisted the service in California with service number # 0-299549.
Donald‘s Crew-members and their position on-board the plane a Grumman TBM-Avenger were,
Ensign Donald E. Baxter Pilot
Arm1. Arthur C. Miller Gunner/Radio Operator
Aom2 Wesley R. Stuart Bombardier
Donald was KIA on the mission to Bomb a Japanese Airfield at Palau, they were shot by the Anti-Aircraft and crashed on 13 Sep. 1944, he is honored with an Air Medal, Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, Expeditionary Medal, American Campaign Medal, Navy & Marine Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.
Donald is buried/mentioned at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines.
Walls of the missing.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56754356/donald-e-baxter
He also has a Memorial Grave at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, Los Angeles County, California, USA.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/91311394/donald-e-baxter
Thanks to, https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/tbm/16956.html
http://www.cv6.org/ship/logs/ag20/vt20.htm
Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com
Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.
ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov
Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/ Geoffrey Roecker
Seabees History Bob Smith https://seabeehf.org/
Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org
POW Info, http://www.mansell.com Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.
Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano
National Historian
Navy Seal Memorial, http://www.navysealmemorials.com
Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org
Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/
Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org
Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com
Tank Destroyers, http://www.bensavelkoul.nl/
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V25J-6VQ
Torpedo Squadron 20 (VT-20)
Presidential Unit Citation for Navy and Marine Corps
“For extraordinary heroism in action against enemy Japanese forces in the air, ashore and afloat in the Pacific War Area from September 18, 1943, to August 15, 1945. Spearheading our concentrated carrier-warfare in the most forward areas, the U.S.S. LEXINGTON and het air groups struck crushing blows toward annihilating Japanese fighting power; they provided air cover for our amphibious force; they fiercely countered the enemy’s aerial attacks and destroyed his planes; and they inflicted terrific losses on the Japanese in Fleet and merchant marine units sunk or damaged. Daring and dependable in combat, the LEXINGTON with her gallant officers and men rendered loyal service in achieving the ultimate defeat of the Japanese Empire.”
Details:
Received for action from the U.S.S. Lexington (CV-16) at Luzon (December 14-16th, 1944) and Philippines, Formosa, China Sea and Ryukyus (January 3-22nd, 1945).
