From Denver to the Navy and Back
By Carter Goodrich
Donald McLean Small
8/13/1912-2/15/1994
Donald McLean Small was born in Denver, Colorado on August 13th, 1912.[1] He was born into a large family consisting of 7 children. Donald was the middle child, with three older siblings, Harold, who was 10 years older, Howard, who was 4 years older, and Hubart, who was 2 years older. He also had three younger siblings, Lowell, who was 2 years younger, Grace, who was 3 years younger, and Robert, who was 4 years younger. He had two loving parents, Samuel Small born in 1883 in Ireland, and Jeanette May “Nettie” McLean Small, born in 1886 in Indiana.
He married his wife, Frances Lorraine Hall, on December 31st, 1936 in Englewood, Colorado. He enlisted in the United States Navy on October 16th, 1940, in Englewood, Arapahoe, Colorado, and served during World War II starting on July 13th, 1943. According to his registration card, he weighed in at 145lb at the time of enlistment while he stood at 5’10”. He served as a Machinist’s Mate, a petty officer third class during the time of war. “Machinist's Mates (MM) ensure the continuous operation of engines, compressors, gears, refrigeration, and air-conditioning equipment aboard U.S. Navy ships and submarines. Sub-designations of the Machinist mate are Nuclear (MMN), Submarine Weapons (MMW), and Submarine Auxiliary (MMA).” It is unclear which of these sub-designations he had. This also shows us that he had great technical skills, and it is believed that he took these skills to work in a garage after the war.
He arrived stateside again on November 6th, 1945. He lived another 48 years in Ruby Hills, Colorado, which is roughly 10 minutes south of downtown Denver, until he passed away on February 15th, 1994. Today, he rests in Fort Logan.
Footnotes ↓
[1] information for this biography can be found at:
www.findagrave.com/memorial/166111257/donald_mclean-small www.fold3.com/image/538996842/small-donald-mclean-page-2-us-wwii-draft-registration-cards-1940 www.militaryvetspx.com/us-navy-rate-machinist-mate-mm-po123.html?srsltid=AfmBOor0yoO4tVfQ-C9-8Xcd1R1BisAmg4tJ9Sko_CsepdPynomoz63F https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V9PK-NPX https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKVM-LGC7 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KNQG-7JY
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