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Home | Obituaries

Tom McDonald, first discharged after WWII

By TIM HARLOW, Star Tribune

Last update: March 27, 2009 - 9:28 PM

Rank does have its privileges, and for Tom McDonald that led to him being the first man to be discharged from the service following World War II.

A photograph of a smiling McDonald holding his papers was splashed across newspapers nationwide in 1945 after he had earned enough points for his release after serving in the Navy for more than 6 years and sailing around the world.

McDonald was a signalman and was near a ship radio when an announcement came over the airwaves explaining how servicemen would be discharged. Sailors earned one point for every six months of overseas service, and McDonald had accumulated enough to be discharged. That night his ship was in the New York City naval yards, so he disembarked and went to a discharge center in nearby Long Island, said his son Michael of St. Paul. "They thought he was trying to pull a fast one because they had not heard the news yet," he said.

McDonald, formerly of Golden Valley and north Minneapolis, died from lung cancer Tuesday at the North Memorial Health Care Hospice in Brooklyn Center. He was 88.

McDonald's desire for adventure prompted him to leave Minneapolis North High School during his senior year in 1938 and join the Navy. He was assigned to the USS New Orleans and was in Pearl Harbor until a week before the Japanese bombed it on Dec. 7, 1941. He lost many friends who were on the New Orleans, a ship he returned to shortly after the attack, his son said.

He served on several other destroyers, including the USS Sampson and the USS Doherty. He saw action in North Africa, Germany, Sicily, the Aleutian Islands and all throughout the South Pacific, his son said.

After his discharge, McDonald helped run the family grocery store on Lowry Avenue for several years. He was a "real good businessman" who made a living doing cost accounting for D.W. Onan, was national parts manager for Scorpion snowmobiles and later served as vice president of Vic Manufacturing, which makes dry cleaning machines. He also joined an Army reserve unit, Michael said.

McDonald was a longtime member of the Westphal Americal Legion in Robbinsdale, where he served as chaplain and oversaw its Flag Day ceremonies. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, a scout master in north Minneapolis, sang with the Onan Singers and volunteered in a number of capacities at the Church of St. Austin, Michael said.

In addition to his son Michael, McDonald is survived by two other sons,:John of Zimmerman and Pat of St. Michael; daughters Colleen Hempel and Toody Berwyn, both of Zimmerman; Kathy Borkoski of Corcoran, Joni Anderson of Brooklyn Center, Maureen Greening of New Hope and Mary Lou Igo of Jacksonville, Fla.; a sister, Maureen McDonald of Plymouth, 23 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Audrey.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. today at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 9100 93rd Av. N., Brooklyn Park. Visitation will be one hour before services at the church.

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