Decorated GA Sailor Killed In Pearl Harbor Attack Was From Marietta

MARIETTA, GA — A Georgia native who was killed during the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor was a decorated sailor from Marietta.

According to the U.S. Navy, Shipfitter 3rd Class John M. Donald was born in Ball Ground on July 15, 1913, but has the hometown of Marietta.

Donald was serving aboard the USS Oklahoma (BB 37) during Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, according to his service member profile on the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's website.

He will be buried Thursday in the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Donald's remains were recovered from the ship after he was killed in the attack, according to the POW/MIA profile. The remains could not be identified at the time of his death.

He was initially buried in Hawaii's National Memorial Cemetery under "unknown," but modern forensic resources aided the Navy in identifying Donald's remains, according to the profile.

Donald enlisted into the Navy on July 6, 1940, in Nashville, Tennessee, according to Navy officials. His duty stations included the Naval Training Station in Norfolk, Virginia.

He was tasked with constructing metal using metal shop machinery, preparing metal sheets and/or sections for ship repairs, maintaining tanks and watertight fixtures, forging, welding and soldering, according to Navy officials.

During his service, Donald received the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet Clasp), Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with Bronze Star), American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal, according to Navy officials.