David L. McDonald

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David L. McDonald
1906 – 1997 (aged 90–91)
Admiral David L. McDonald
Place of birth	Maysville, GA
Place of death	Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1928-1967
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	Chief of Naval Opertions USS Coral Sea
Awards	Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2 awards)

David Lamar McDonald, USN, (b. 1928 - d. December 16, 1997) was an Admiral of the United States Navy, who served as the 17th Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), 1 August 1963 – 1 August 1967, during the Vietnam War era.

1 Military career
2 See also
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Military career

A native of Maysville, GA, McDonald originally sought to go to the United States Military Academy, receiving a nomination from Representative Thomas Montgomery Bell of the 9th Congressional District.^[1] After learning he was 2 months and 12 days too young, he opted to attend Riverside Military Academy first, then entered the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1928.^[1]

Prior to becoming a naval aviator, McDonald was assigned to the USS Mississippi (BB-41) and the USS Colorado (BB-45).^[2] The future admiral spent three years, from 1935 to 1938, as a flight instructor at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. Between 1938 and 1955, he served as flag secretary of the aircraft command of the Atlantic Fleet, commander of the Naval Operational Training Command, executive officer of the carrier USS Essex (CV-9) in the Pacific and assistant chief of staff for operations of the Pacific Fleet.^[2]

McDonald during the mid-1950s, he commanded the carrier USS Coral Sea. In the early 1960s, before becoming CNO, he served as Commander, Sixth Fleet. At the time of his selection as Chief of Naval Operations, he was the youngest full admiral in the navy, and had only received his fourth star a month prior.^[1] The airfield at Naval Station Mayport is named after him.