Donald E. Struve

1920 - 1995
CPL US Army
1749th ORD S&M
Company AVN South Pacific

Donald was inducted into the Army Air Corps in 1942. He trained at Will Rogers field, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He served with the 321st service group of the 1749th Ordnance Supply and Maintenance Company in the South Pacific including the islands of New Caledonia and New Hebrides. Corporal Struve was discharged in 1945.

Manning Monitor articles ------ 1943

Donald Struve Writes
Letter from Donald Struve from Will Rogers field, Oklahoma City, says he receives his Monitor and sure enjoys it and wishes to thank the Legion and Monitor for making it possible. He would like to hear from his friends and will answer as time permits.
His address now is 812 Ordnance Co. Avn (A.B.) Training Station, Oklahoma City; Oklahoma.

Calls From Will Rogers Field
Donald Struve called home on his 22nd birthday, stating that he was in the Air Corps at Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma City, Okla. He likes his work very much.

Donald Struve Transferred
Word has been received that Cpl. Donald Struve has been transferred, but no destination was stated.

Manning Monitor articles ------ 1944

Donald Struve writes from South Pacific
Corporal Donald E. Struve writes from the South Pacific after a silence of quite a few weeks, due to another long boat ride. He was able to tell he had been in New Caledonia and then in the New Hebrides.

Following is a part of his letter:
"I won't be able to write very often because we are very very busy. We don't like our new location but guess there are some that are worse. "Sorry I can't answer all your questions but the censor won't allow it, but guess I can tell you about some of the things we have, like the enormous land crabs as large as saucers, their legs stretch out a lot further, and they have big pincers just like a craw-dad.
A funny thing about them is that instead of running straight they go sideways. They have races across our tents all night. Once in awhile one gets a hold of a sock in his pincers and rocks on it for'' a long time. The other night one of them, was on my foot locker and had it half way open. It seems as though he had my cigarettes out and was looking for a match.
"Another thing we have here is centipedes, as long as six inches, and thick as a pencil. We chased wild chickens in a jeep one day--- if your think pheasants are fast you ought to see these. We tried to find where they roost at night but never have.
Their plumage is just beautiful. We have lots of parrots, some are pure white, others red and some are beautiful green.

Our mascot, a black dog, chased wild boars which are plentiful also rats galore. We have scorpions whose sting is very painful.
Donald is with the 321st service group of the 1749 Ordnance Supply and Maintenance Co. of the Air Corps.

Letter From Southwest Pacific
Corporal Donald E. Struve received the first letter from the U.S.A. on July 4th after being somewhere on an island in the southwest Pacific for two months. He is with the 1749th Ordnance Co. He was in a Catalina Amphibian on the 4th and said it was a wonderful thing.
The mosquitoes are very large and plentiful. Have to sleep under netting all the time.
He said he would love to take pictures of some of the scenery and we would be surprised at the things that grow in their back yard. They have showers now and are putting wooden floors in their tents. They have quite a bit of athletic equipment and may get a recreation hall if they stay there long enough.

He finally received one of his Monitors on the 9th of July, dated May 20th but he read every word of it and thanks the Monitor and Legion for sending them.

Donald Struve is buried in the Manning Cemetery.
Section D Row #15 north - south.