Trose Emmett Donaldson

Trose Emmett Donaldson (born June 19, 1914 in Tacoma, Washington), was appointed a lieutenant (junior grade) in the U.S. Naval Reserve from the Merchant Marine on November 25, 1940.

Military service

Lieutenant Donaldson served in the oiler Sepulga (AO-20) and in repair ship Otus (AS-20) from March 25, 1941. On December 13, 1941 Donaldson was given command of the requisitioned tug Trabajador at Manila with the Navy's Inshore Patrol.[1] On February 25th, 1942 he was transferred to command the British salvage tug Henry Keswick, requisitioned by the U.S. Army during the continuing siege of Manila.[2]

He was killed in action while commanding Henry Keswick on April 9, 1942, when the tug was set on fire by Japanese artillery and beached off Corregidor. Lieutenant Donaldson safely evacuated his crew to the shore and in the last boat, rowing for shore, he was killed instantly by an enemy shell.[3][4]

Awards and commemorations

Donaldson was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism in December 1941 at Cavite, Philippine Islands, when he worked tirelessly to evacuate ships and wounded and to fight fires during Japanese air raids.

He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by the United States War Department.

The destroyer escort USS Donaldson (DE-44) of 1943 was named in Lieutenant Donaldson's honor.[4]

See also

References
  1. "Trabajador". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. United States Navy, Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  2. "United States Asiatic Fleet, order of battle, December, 1941". Asiaticfleet.com. p. footnote 18. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  3. Gordon, John (2017). Fighting for MacArthur: the Navy and Marine Corps' Desperate Defense of the Philippines. Naval Institute Press. pp. 218, 221. ISBN 9781612510620. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  4. "Donaldson". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. United States Navy, Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 10 July 2019.


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