Re: Brig. General US Army/Thomas Quinton Donaldson
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In reply to:
Re: Brig. General US Army/Thomas Quinton Donaldson
Walter Donaldson 4/20/03
Thanks for your reply.Yes, I am referring to Capt. John Owen Donaldson, WWI flying Ace.I got into this by a posting of West View Cemetery, Fulton County, Atlanta, GAon the GAGENWEB web site.A young man from Belgium who has been a researcher for many years on WWI & WWII found my posting and e mailed with a request to please check and make sure the information he had was correct about where Capt. Donaldson was buried. Capt. Donaldson had been shot down over France WWI after shooting down 8 planes and captured by the Germans.He escaped twice and after his 2nd escape was given safe passage and shelter in a small town, Tondelo, Belgium by the Roman Catholic Church.There is a plaque, in this church, placed there by his father Brig. Gen T. Q. Donaldson thanking them for their care and passage of his son.Capt. Donaldson was killed in a plane crash in Pittsburgh, PA 1930 during an Air Performane. Thought at first that his grave was un marked and began a search for relatives about getting it marked.Returned later to the cemetery and found that he was indeed marked along with his wife also being buried there. Mrs. Donaldson died 1983 and did not remarry as she is marked as Harriet McCullough Donaldson.This is a very interesting family.All of them are career military and very high ranking. Seemed unsual that Capt. Donaldson's wife would bring him to Atlanta, GAto bury him as he certainly qualified for burial at Arlington National Cemetery with his father.I know she was from Atlanta, GA but just considered it unsual.
Thanks for your reply.