Donald Earl Norlander
Era: Vietnam
Military Branch: Navy
Donald Earl Norlander served in the Vietnam War. Mr. Norlander served in the United States and in Asia. He was assigned to Da Nang, Hue, and Quang Tri in Vietnam.
Beginning in October 1962, Mr. Norlander served in the U.S. Navy. His first tour of duty was in a mobile construction battalion, homeport, Port Hueneme, California. He was transferred to Amphibious Construction Battalion 1 (ACB-1), Coronado, California. He had various deployments throughout Asia and did shore duty in Naval Air Station, Glenview, Illinois, and Navy recruiting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His last tour of duty was with Mobile Construction Battalion 8 (MCB-8), Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam. He was discharged in November 1969.
His rank was Construction Mechanic 1st Class, Petty Officer 1st Class.
Mr. Norlander was born in 1944 in Virginia, Minnesota, the son of Everett and Arline Norlander. He graduated from American School in 1963.
He was decorated with the:
National Defense Medal,
Good Conduct Medal, and the
Vietnam Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
Source: Veterans’ Memorial Hall veteran history form; veteran’s account (below)
“Enlisted in the U.S. Navy in the 1962. Training, boot camp in San Diego, California. First tour of duty, Mobile Construction Battalion, homeport, Port Hueneme, California. Then transferred to Amphibious Construction Battalion One, Coronado, California. Deployments and travels to Philippines, Okinawa, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam. 1967 shore duty tour, Naval Air Station Glenview, Illinois, and Navy Recruiting Station, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Last tour of duty with Mobile Construction Battalion No. 8, Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam. Discharged November 1969.
“Some great and some sad experiences. Those years certainly had future direction of life. Left with memories not soon forgotten.”
