Donald E. Ward (WWII Casualty)

Donald E. Ward - U.S. Marine Corps (1918-1943)

UNIT: 1st Battalion ( Engineer), 18th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division

RANK: Private First Class

BORN: 12 Oct 1918

WHERE: Collinsville, Madison Co., IL

DIED: November 20, 1943

WHERE: Tarawa, Gilbert Islands

CAUSE OF DEATH: Killed in Action at Tarawa, Gilbert Islands

BURIED: Honolulu Memorial Cemetery - Honolulu, Hawaii

MARKER: Military Marker

Collinsville Herald – January 6, 1944
Provided by Gene Beals (2007)

Marine Don Ward
Killed in Action In South Pacific
Family Notified Tuesday
First One Lost From Collinsville

Pvt. Donald E. Ward, 25, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Ward, 111 Kenwood Lane, was officially reported killed in action in the South Pacific area the latter part November or the first part of December 1943 in a telegram received from the War Department Wednesday.

Ward was employed by Swift & Company prior to his enlisting in the United States Marine Corps, on January 14, 1942, and went direct to San Diego, Calif. After ten months at this camp, he made the trip overseas where he has been since last November. Ward has been somewhere in the South Pacific area every since he left the States.

C.T.H.S. Kahoks basketball team - Don Ward - No. 9
Ward was born in Collinsville on October 12, 1918. He attended both Columbia and Jefferson grade schools graduating from the latter and then went to Collinsville Township High School from which he graduated with the class of 1937. Following that he attended McKendree College at Lebanon, Ill., for two years.

Ward was considered one of Collinsville’s best athletes, having been a member of the Kahok basketball team which went to the state tournament in 1937, under Coach Willard O. Lawson, only to lose to Joliet, who went on to win the championship. It was Ward’s sensational “ football” passing from one end of the basketball court to the other which baffled the tournament crowd, and this athlete will long be remembered by all sports fans and friends. He was also a member of the Kahok football team, having played in 1935, 1936 and 1937.

In letters written to his parents, Don told of the good eats, good times and fine places that he had been. In one letter, Don said, “There is a fine fishing place here and I do hope that I will get to come back to go fishing.”

In Memory of Donald E. Ward ... Memorial Marker at St. John Cemetery in Collinsville, IL

Note: This memorial marker is placed in the plot of Donald's parents at St. John Cemetery in Collinsville, Madison Co., IL

Index of Collinsville WWII Casualties

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