33rd Veteran of the Quarter, Donald Drouin, US Air Force
December 7, 2018
Donald “Don” V. Drouin, after graduating from high school and completing 2 years of college at Long Beach City College and UCLA, enlisted in the United States Air Force as an Aviation Cadet in February 1959. A few months later, Don entered Primary Pilot Training at Spence Air Base in Moultrie, Georgia. He then went on to advanced pilot training at Greenville Air Force Base (AFB) Mississippi where Don was awarded the wings of a rated pilot and commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation in June 1960. His first assignment was as an instructor pilot at Air Training Command (ATC) flying T-33s at Reese AFB Texas. Two years later, he cross-trained into the more advanced T-38 Trainer. In 1965, after flying nearly 5,000 hours training and graduating some 30 USAF Pilots as a flight instructor, Don went on to fly a variety of aircraft, including the F-102 fighter interceptor at Perrin AFB Texas and Goose Bay Labrador Canada, as well as the RF-4 reconnaissance aircraft at Bergstrom AFB Texas and Udom RTAFB Thailand.
During his 22 years of service, Don also earned a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree from Oklahoma State University. He retired in July 1980 with the rank of Lt. Colonel after completing his service at these consecutive major command headquarters: Military Airlift Command (MAC), Scott AFB Illinois, United States Air Force Europe (USAFE), Ramstein Germany and Tactical Air Command (TAC), Langley AFB Virginia. During this period, Don’s wife, Jaye, served heroically having made 18 moves in 20 years of marriage while raising three children. They now have seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Don’s awards include the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), and 14 Air Medals for gallant and distinguished service as a reconnaissance pilot with the 11th Tac Recon Squadron at Udom RTAFB Thailand. He flew 100 combat missions over North Vietnam and went on another 40 missions in South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. He is a proud member of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association whose charter reads in part: “for successfully flying combat missions over the Red River Valley of North Vietnam (Hanoi and the surrounding area), the most highly defended area in the history of aerial warfare.”
After retiring, Don sold personal computers, including the TRS-80 and the Commodore 64 which pre-dated the Windows and Apple Operating Systems. In 1984, he and his family relocated to their current home at Table Rock Lake. Don was an active real estate agent in the local area from 1985 to 1996. He and Jaye have been active members of the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Kimberling City, Missouri for over 30 years. Don has served as an elder, youth Sunday school teacher, and member of the church choir. Jaye has also served as a youth Sunday school teacher and is a current member and founder of the church bell choir. She is an active and long time hospice volunteer and a proud mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
THE PROUD. THE STRONG. THE LOYAL. OUR VETERANS!