Donald Raisch

Donald Raisch

CMM1

I was born in a farmhouse, on a farm near Ackley, Iowa, on March 7, 1922. In 1940, I enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was assigned to Boot Camp at Great Lakes, Illinois. After graduation, I was sent to sick bay to have my tonsils removed. Now this was a real deal— all 27 of us were lined up and waiting in the doorway for your turn in the chair. They handed you a pan to spit in, and a straight-back chair to sit in. The Officer (Doctor) then removed your tonsils, not a method that I would highly recommend. After ten days, I rejoined part of my company in San Francisco, aboard the U.S.S. Maryland, for transfer to the U.S.S. Lexington. The transfer was accomplished in Hawaii about July 1940. I had a brother who was already assigned to the Lexington.

During the time of duty on the Lexington, my duty station was in the Engine Room. One of the various ports that we were in was Pearl Harbor. We were tied up to Ford Island on December 5, 1941, and we got underway for Wake Island on that day. Two days later Pearl Harbor was attacked.

We were in various battles, prior to the Battle of the Coral Sea where we lost the Lexington. She went to her grave as a gallant lady. We were returned to San Diego by troop ships and reassigned.

My brother and I, both MM2C, were sent to Bremerton, Washington to commission and be aboard the U.S.S. Nassau. This was in June or 3uly 1942, while the ship was being outfitted, and so we lived in the barracks in Bremerton. After ships company moved on board, I was designated the "Ships Master-At-Arms". That was one assignment I didn't like, so after about three weeks I requested and was granted reassignment to my job in the Engine Room. Because of a shortage of personnel, I moved up the ranks to Chief Machinist Mate on March 1, 1944. I was discharged from the U.S. Navy in March 1945 in Minneapolis, Minnesota Discharge Center.

Betty Hocken and I were married in September, 1946 and raised three sons. We have six grandchildren and no great grandchildren. September 2001 will be 55 wonderful married years and more to come.