Donald Dean was born in March 1926 in Salina, Kansas. His father was in the insurance business, and the family moved around a lot, but finally settled in Wichita, Kansas. Dean was listening to the radio after church on Sunday, 7 December 1941 when he heard of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. At 15, he couldn't picture himself being part of the conflict. Dean's older brother, however, joined the Navy. Dean's father, a World War 1 veteran, convinced his sons that they did not want to follow his example by getting into the Army. When he turned 18, Dean was sent a draft notice, but was allowed to finish high school. After graduation, he signed up, making him essentially a volunteer. Given his choice of service branch, he selected the Navy, like his brother before him, and entered service in July 1946 [Annotator's Note: he means July 1944].

Donald Dean went to Farragut, Idaho for boot camp then to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida for fire control school where he learned to operate the electronic sights tied into the 40mm antiaircraft guns and the optical rangefinders for the five inch guns. He was ultimately sent to New Orleans, Louisiana, where he was assigned to the high speed transport USS Balduck (APD-132). Once commissioned, Dean was aboard for the ship's shakedown cruise in the waters around Cuba. Dean's position was a watch station on the flying bridge, a good position to watch the ship's progress through the Panama Canal to California. They arrived just in time for V-J Day. Dean has always thought that Mr. Truman [Annotator's Note: President Harry S. Truman] was a great president because he dropped the atomic bombs. [Annotator's Note: Dean begins to cry.] Dean does not feel he or his ship would have survived.

Donald Dean had been impressed when he first saw the brand new ship [Annotator's Note: the USS Balduck (APD-132)]. The sleeping quarters were tight, but the rest of the ship was so huge, there were parts of it he never even visited. His captain seemed to know what he was doing, and could ease the big vessel into dock quite ably. Dean said the USS Balduck (ADP-132) had an underwater demolition team aboard. He was schooled on how to get the team's rafts overboard, but he had little involvement with their activities otherwise. Although he and his shipmates knew they were slated for the invasion of Japan, Dean said no one thought about jumping ship; each man meant to get the job done. After the war, when he thought about the aborted invasion of Japan, he remembered how tough the fight got on the islands, and was thankful they didn't have to continue. When the Balduck left California the day after VJ-Day, Dean wondered why they were headed for the Pacific if the war was over. Nevertheless, the Balduck sailed for Okinawa, arriving in time to experience two typhoons. They continued into the Yellow Sea, which proved exciting because of the many mines that were loose and floating in the shipping lanes. From there, they moved on to Korea. After a brief period of service off Korea's coast, they steamed for the coast of China. Except for one short liberty in Tsingtao, China, Dean didn't set foot on shore.

From China, the USS Balduck (ADP-132) took Donald Dean and the rest of the crew back to Okinawa, then to Hawaii, hitting a few little islands in between, and arriving in San Diego in the fall of 1945. Many of the Pacific Theater soldiers were being discharged, so the Balduck was doing taxi service between San Pedro and San Diego for a while. In early 1946, they began decommissioning the ship. Dean's duties included dismantling the gun sights and range finder. With one day left to get the points he needed for discharge, Dean was assigned to another ship for a day. After about eight more months, Dean was discharged with the rank of Fire Control Operator 3rd Class. At the time, Dean wanted no part of the Naval Reserves. He had no trouble making the transition back to civilian life, and used the G.I. Bill to begin studies at Kansas University. He didn't do well at KU, because at every opportunity, he would skip studying to go home and date his high school sweetheart. He left after two years, switching to University of Wichita to complete his college education.

During Donald Dean's career in the Navy, the thing he enjoyed most was sailing along a nice smooth sea when he was off duty. His father liked to tell the story of Dean's easy living in the Navy, compared to his own difficult Army life during World War 1. Dean feels that his time in the service cost him a couple of years of his life that would otherwise have been devoted to his education and life's path. But he is proud that he was able to serve, especially in the Navy. He made some close friends; relationships that continued after the war. He thinks World War 2 means different things to different people today; but believes young people don't have any idea what war is really about. Dean said he would like to visit The National WWII Museum, and thinks it important to continue to teach the lessons of the war.