Donald Aubrey Black, or "Sonny", as he was called was awarded the Purple Heart, Air Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal. He was born Jan 30th, 1925 in Frederick, OK to Fines and Alice (Smith) Black. His father Fines moved the family to the Black home place at Belleville, near Courtney when Sonny was a young boy.
Sonny spent only a few years at Belleville, living mostly with his mother near Frederick after his parents divorced when he was about five. At the age of fourteen he ran away from home to California. He grew into a young man just over 6' tall with auburn hair and blue eyes.
On May 8, 1942 Sonny enlisted into the U.S. Marine Corps at Dallas, TX and was sent into action in the Pacific. He was a radio gunner in a fighter plane when his plane was shot down. He survived and made it to Australia where he was sent back into action participating in battles in the Consolidation of the Southern Solomon Islands in 1943 from Feb 15th to May 31st, and again June 19th and 20th. He participated in the battle of the New Georgia Group Operation from July 20th to the 26th. On July 26th, 1943 Sonny Black gave his life in defense of his country when his plane was shot down over the Pacific. His remains were never recovered.
Donald Aubrey Black appears on a list of servicemen killed in action at the United States Military Cemetery at Fort William McKinley in Manila, Philippines. Sonny's sister Helen keeps his Purple Heart and Air Medals in a small box along with a letter from Sonny she received after his death. Helen could never bring herself to open the letter and it remains unopened to this day.
Sonny spent only a few years at Belleville, living mostly with his mother near Frederick after his parents divorced when he was about five. At the age of fourteen he ran away from home to California. He grew into a young man just over 6' tall with auburn hair and blue eyes.
On May 8, 1942 Sonny enlisted into the U.S. Marine Corps at Dallas, TX and was sent into action in the Pacific. He was a radio gunner in a fighter plane when his plane was shot down. He survived and made it to Australia where he was sent back into action participating in battles in the Consolidation of the Southern Solomon Islands in 1943 from Feb 15th to May 31st, and again June 19th and 20th. He participated in the battle of the New Georgia Group Operation from July 20th to the 26th. On July 26th, 1943 Sonny Black gave his life in defense of his country when his plane was shot down over the Pacific. His remains were never recovered.
Donald Aubrey Black appears on a list of servicemen killed in action at the United States Military Cemetery at Fort William McKinley in Manila, Philippines. Sonny's sister Helen keeps his Purple Heart and Air Medals in a small box along with a letter from Sonny she received after his death. Helen could never bring herself to open the letter and it remains unopened to this day.
Donald Aubrey Black, or "Sonny", as he was called was awarded the Purple Heart, Air Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal. He was born Jan 30th, 1925 in Frederick, OK to Fines and Alice (Smith) Black. His father Fines moved the family to the Black home place at Belleville, near Courtney when Sonny was a young boy.
Sonny spent only a few years at Belleville, living mostly with his mother near Frederick after his parents divorced when he was about five. At the age of fourteen he ran away from home to California. He grew into a young man just over 6' tall with auburn hair and blue eyes.
On May 8, 1942 Sonny enlisted into the U.S. Marine Corps at Dallas, TX and was sent into action in the Pacific. He was a radio gunner in a fighter plane when his plane was shot down. He survived and made it to Australia where he was sent back into action participating in battles in the Consolidation of the Southern Solomon Islands in 1943 from Feb 15th to May 31st, and again June 19th and 20th. He participated in the battle of the New Georgia Group Operation from July 20th to the 26th. On July 26th, 1943 Sonny Black gave his life in defense of his country when his plane was shot down over the Pacific. His remains were never recovered.
Donald Aubrey Black appears on a list of servicemen killed in action at the United States Military Cemetery at Fort William McKinley in Manila, Philippines. Sonny's sister Helen keeps his Purple Heart and Air Medals in a small box along with a letter from Sonny she received after his death. Helen could never bring herself to open the letter and it remains unopened to this day.
Sonny spent only a few years at Belleville, living mostly with his mother near Frederick after his parents divorced when he was about five. At the age of fourteen he ran away from home to California. He grew into a young man just over 6' tall with auburn hair and blue eyes.
On May 8, 1942 Sonny enlisted into the U.S. Marine Corps at Dallas, TX and was sent into action in the Pacific. He was a radio gunner in a fighter plane when his plane was shot down. He survived and made it to Australia where he was sent back into action participating in battles in the Consolidation of the Southern Solomon Islands in 1943 from Feb 15th to May 31st, and again June 19th and 20th. He participated in the battle of the New Georgia Group Operation from July 20th to the 26th. On July 26th, 1943 Sonny Black gave his life in defense of his country when his plane was shot down over the Pacific. His remains were never recovered.
Donald Aubrey Black appears on a list of servicemen killed in action at the United States Military Cemetery at Fort William McKinley in Manila, Philippines. Sonny's sister Helen keeps his Purple Heart and Air Medals in a small box along with a letter from Sonny she received after his death. Helen could never bring herself to open the letter and it remains unopened to this day.
Gravesite Details
Name listed at the United States Military Cemetery at Fort William McKinley in Manila, Philippines
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
