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David Charles McDonald

Home/David Charles McDonald
David Charles McDonaldLilah Crowe2019-11-15T13:52:32-06:00
  • Name: David Charles McDonald
  • Born in: Wadena, Minnesota
  • On: December 12, 1947
  • Passed on:
  • Parents: Charles William McDonald and Delores Joan (Plautz) McDonald
  • High School and Class: 1965 - Greenway High School, Coleraine, Minnesota
  • College: 1972 - Itasca Community College, Grand Rapids, Minnesota
  • Highest Rank: SGT (Sergeant) E-4
  • Branch: Air Force
  • Other Branch:
  • Date Sworn In: July 13, 1966
  • Place Sworn In: Armed Forces Examining & Entrance Station, Minneapolis, Minnesota (Inactive Reserves)
  • Date of Discharge: August 12, 1970
  • Place of Discharge: McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita, Kansas
Units and Locations
  • Start Date
  • End Date
  • Unit(s) and Location(s) Served


  • July, 1966
  • August, 1966
  • Armed Forces Examining & Entrance Station (Inactive Reserves), Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • August, 1966
  • October 1966
  • 3703 Basic Military Training Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas
  • October, 1966
  • June, 1967
  • 3762 Student Squadron, Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas
  • June, 1967
  • August, 1970
  • 532 Strategic Missile Squadron, McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita, Kansas
  • August, 1970
  • July, 1972
  • United States Air Force Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center (Inactive Reserves), Denver, Colorado
Military Awards:
Missileman's Badge
Combat Crew Badge
National Defense Service Medal
Outstanding Unit Award - December, 1967
Good Conduct Medal
Presidential Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster

Military Highlights:
I was a Ballistic Missile Analyst Technician on a Titan II Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Launch Crew during the "Cold War". I was responsible for troubleshooting and maintaining missile readiness status on missile electrical and guidance system and underground missile silo complex. Enlisted man on a four man launch crew in Wichita, Kansas, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Tuscon, Arizona. Each had 18 missile silos. Total of 54 in the United States. The Titan II was the largest ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) at that time.

Wars Involved:
Cold War Veteran (1966-1970) - Vietnam Era

MIA / POW:

Civilian Life:
Apprenticed as an electrician at Hibbing Taconite Company from 1977-2009. Engineering Program Graduate at Itasca Community College, in Grand Rapids, Minnesota from 1970-1972.

Married Mary Elizabeth Brouilland in 1975. We had two children--our daughter, Heather, was born in 1976 and our son, Eric, was born in 1977. Eric died in 2017.

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  • ITASCA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
    201 North Pokegama Ave
    Grand Rapids, MN 55744
  • 218.326.6431
  • ichs@paulbunyan.net
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