Donald Blaisdell in WWII...Americal Division

 

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Don - Americal Division

 

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Don - Americal Division
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Donald Blaisdell, Private

Americal Division, 182 Infantry,  Demolitions Team

 
Distinguished Service Cross Bronze Star for Valor Good Conduct Medal American Defense 
Don Blaisdell in 1991 showing his reissued medals earned during his WWII Americal service.

 

American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal Philippine Liberation Medal WWII Victory Medal

Medals Award For:

The Distinguished Service Cross- for saving a wounded man.

     On March 12, 1944, Private Don Blaisdell was stationed with the Americal division on Bougainville, Solomon Islands on Hill 260. The division was engaged in a fire-fight with the Japanese, when an officer noticed a wounded man about 40-50 yards down a hill. The man was shot in both his legs and was entangled in barbed wire.
     The officer asked Private Don Blaisdell and another soldier to retrieve the injured man. they crawled down the hill and put the man on a strecher. As they were returning up the hill the other soldier was shot in the head and killed.
     The man was lying on top of the barbed fence, and Don crawled back up the hill. He was sent back down with another soldier. This man was also shot and killed. Next a marksman with an automatic rifle was sent down to try to shoot the sniper, he was also killed. 
     Finally, Don and a third soldier were sent down and were able to retrieve the wounded soldier by dragging him up the hill by his arms. The man survived his wounds.1

The Bronze Star for Valor- for meritorious service in connection with military operations against the enemy at Cebu, Philippine Islands (March 31 to April 18, 1945).1

 

Americal Division Operations, Campaigns, and Battles2

 

World War II * 1942 - 1945

GUADALCANAL CAMPAIGN 13 Oct 42 - 1 Mar 43
2nd Battle of Henderson Field 23-25 Oct 42
Battle of Koli Point 5-11 Nov 42
Kokumbona & Poha River 18-23 Nov 42
Point Cruz & Matanakau River 8-22 Nov 42
Mt. Austen 12-17 Dec 42
Gifu Ridge 24 Dec 42 - 9 Jan 43
Final Offensive 16 Jan - 9 Feb 43
Bonegi River 30 Jan - 2 Feb 43
Tassafaronga 5-Feb-43
NORTHERN SOLOMONS CAMPAIGN 25 Dec 43 - 10 Dec 44
Perimeter Line 25 Dec 43 - 8 Mar 44
Hill 260 10 - 15 Mar 44
Hills 165, 155, 500, 501 16 - 18 Apr 44
Mouth of the Torokina 5 - 8 Apr 44
Advancing the Outpost Line May - Nov 44
LEYTE 23 Jan - 23 Mar 45
Jars - Valencia - Palompon 5 Feb - 10 Mar 45
Samar Island 19 - 26 Feb 45
Balicautros, Capul, Narajo Islands 19 - 26 Feb 45
Capute Island, Burios, Ticao Islands 3 - 10 Mar 45
SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES 24 Mar - 12 Jun 45
Cebu Island 24 Mar -12 Jun 45
Talisay Landing 25-Mar-45
Cebu City, Go Chan Hill, Hill 27 25 Mar - May 45
Babay Ridge 12 - 17 Apr 45
Bohol Island 11 - 25 Apr 45
Negros Oriental Islands 26 Apr - 12 Jun 45
Palimpinon Heights 28 Apr - 3 May 45
Balasbulas 7 - 12 Jun 45
Northern Mindinao Island May-45

1From "The Hudson Star-Observer", Thursday, July 18, 1991 issue, pgs. 1, 3-A.
2From Americal web site at www.americal.org.

  
 

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