[Annotator's Note: A person off camera comments in the background throughout this clip.] Harry A. Donovan was born in Akron, Ohio in April 1927. He grew up on his family farm growing corn and selling it on the street corner. In addition, his father worked at a Goodrich Tire Company. When war broke out, the company switched from producing car tires to producing tank tires. His family were extremely poor during the Great Depression [Annotator's Note: The Great Depression, a global economic depression that lasted from 1929 through 1945], but they always had food on the table. As Donovan got older, he worked in a grocery store getting three dollars a week. His mother persuaded him to tithe 30 cents to their church, which he reluctantly did, but soon learned that he was grateful for the lesson his mother taught him. Donovan was in high school when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. He was playing football in a field with friends, and they had the radio on. Donovan did not know where Pearl Harbor was, but he thought America was about to go to war. His brothers both served in the Army during World War 2. He and his neighbor friend talked about World War 2 and both decided to drop out of school and join the service. His friend joined the Air Corps and Donovan joined the Navy. Donovan learned later that his friend was shot down and killed on his first mission. Donovan was only 17 years old when he volunteered for the Navy, so his parents had to give permission for him to join. Donovan wanted the Navy because so he would have a bunk to sleep in and get to travel to different countries. He did not like the idea of being in one place for several years like his brother on Guadalcanal [Annotator's Note: Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands]. Donovan was excited about going to war. He went to boot camp for six weeks in Chicago [Annotator's Note: Chicago, Illinois] and was then sent to Hawaii and ordered to go overseas. He became good friends one guy during boot camp and remained friends after the war. Donovan was awakened at two o'clock one morning and given the best breakfast he had in the Navy. He quickly realized he was about to be shipped out.

Harry A. Donovan was assigned to a transport ship [Annotator's Note: the USS Leon (APA-48)] and trained for a month on board. The first mission of his ship was to pick up troops and transport them to Manila [Annotator's Note: Manila, Luzon, Philippines]. His ship did not receive any opposition when they reached the city, but when they left and arrived at Luzon [Annotator's Note: Luzon, Philippines] for his first invasion they were met with enemy resistance. Japanese planes came over and strafed the deck of his transport ship. It was difficult to get to the crow's nest of the ship. Donovan had to climb up 90 feet of net while the ship was swaying back and forth. Once he got up there, he realized that the container that held him was made of a thin layer of metal and did not feel very secured. On Donovan's third mission, he transported Marines on a landing craft [Annotator's Note: Landing Craft Vehicle, Personnel or LCVP], 32 men at a time, to a well fortified beachhead. Donovan witnessed the first and second trips of Marines all killed in a matter of minutes when they stormed Peleliu [Annotator's Note: Battle of Peleliu, codenamed Operation Stalemate II, September to November 1944; Peleliu, Palau] because the Japanese were protected by cemented boxes [Annotator's Note: pillboxes, type of blockhouse, or concrete, reinforced, dug-in guard post, normally equipped with slits for firing guns]. Donovan returned to the transport ship and told his captain that something was wrong and refused to take anymore Marines ashore. The captain ordered Donovan to spend the night in the brig. The next morning, he was put back to duty. Donovan thought for sure he was going to receive a court martial and was relieved when he did not.

Harry A. Donovan received the Purple Heart [Annotator's Note: a Purple Heart Medal is award bestowed upon a United States service member who has been wounded as a result of combat actions against an armed enemy] when he was wounded aboard ship [Annotator's Note: the USS Leon (APA-48)]. He does not recall the incident. He was told that after the ship was hit, he was blown against the bulkhead and then out into the water. When he woke up, he was on a different ship [Annotator's Note: USS Arthur Middleton (APA-25)]. The doctor told him that he had a severe spine injury and that he probably would never walk again. Donovan stayed on the ship for several months becoming very restless and asked the doctor if he could do something to pass the time. They eventually agreed that he could work in the galley. Donovan worked the night shift getting breakfast ready. He quickly came to love working in the galley because he was eating well and hanging out with his friends. Within six months, Donovan was mobile again. He stayed on as the cook for the remainder of the war. While they were in the Manila area [Annotator's Note: Manila, Luzon, Philippines], General MacArthur [Annotator's Note: General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander, Southwest Pacific Area] and his entourage boarded the ship. Donovan was selected to be part of the photo shoot of MacArthur returning to Manila [Annotator's Note: 20 October 1944 on the beach at Leyte, Philippines]. He did not realize that these pictures would be put in national publications and did not see the pictures until years later at a reunion. On normal days, Donovan recalled that he spent hours chipping and repainting the ship. He worked 16 hours a day doing tasks, so he would be tired by the end of his shifts. He said he slept well after long workdays. They were always in an active submarine area and were constantly vigilant. One time he was on the side of the ship painting and saw a torpedo heading right in his direction. The torpedo missed by 20 feet. [Annotator's Note: A person off-camera makes a remark at 0:33:16.000.] Once Donovan got lost from his ship. He was part of a convoy about to be part of an invasion. Some of the ships were ordered to make smoke to help mask the ships from the Japanese bomber planes. For some reason, the mission was called off and the transport ships were ordered to go back out to sea. By this point, Donovan and three other sailors were riding around in a landing craft [Annotator's Note: Landing Craft Vehicle, Personnel or LCVP]. Donovan realized that his ship had gone. He could not go on the island because the Japanese were there and he did not want to bring the landing craft out to sea, so he and the sailors spend four days and four nights in the harbor with no food and exposed to the enemy. They finally saw an LST [Annotator's Note: Landing Ship, Tank] and went aboard. [Annotator's Note: Donovan pauses the interview at 0:37:06.000.] They got a shower, food, and water. Donovan decided not to stay on the LST, so he and his fellow sailors boarded their landing craft again. The next day, they still had not located their ship and went back to the LST. They soon realized that it had taken a direct hit from the enemy and many of the sailors on board were killed.

[Annotator's Note: A person off camera comments in the background throughout this clip.] Harry A. Donovan did not correspond with his family while he served for the Navy in World War 2. His family did not know he was wounded until after the war ended. Donovan's son was in the Vietnam War [Annotator's Note: Vietnam War, or Second Indochina War, 1 November 1955 to 30 April 1975] and received five Purple Hearts [Annotator's Note: a Purple Heart Medal is award bestowed upon a United States service member who has been wounded as a result of combat actions against an armed enemy]. Donovan was on the ship [Annotator's Note: USS Arthur Middleton (APA-25)] when he heard the news that President Roosevelt [Annotator's Note: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States] passed away. He remembered it was such a blow to many of the sailors. At the end of the war, his ship was stationed Okinawa [Annotator's Note: Okinawa, Japan] and a typhoon hit the area. They had to stay in their bunks and strap themselves in. Donovan thought for sure that the ship was going to break in half. Soon after the typhoon, they received orders to head to Japan. They stopped in Nagasaki [Annotator's Note: Nagasaki, Japan] and Tokyo [Annotator's Note: Tokyo, Japan]. His captain told them that they were there to establish neutrality with Japanese people. When Donovan went into town or to a restaurant, he was supposed to treat the Japanese with respect. He did not see any issues while he was in Japan. His ship then sailed back to the United States and docked at Mobile, Alabama. The ship was decommissioned in Mobile, and Donovan returned home and got a job. He married his grade-school sweetheart at age 19. He remarried after his first wife passed away. [Annotator's Note: A cell phone rings at 0:48:19.000.] Donovan went to school at Akron U [Annotator's Note: Akron University in Akron, Ohio] to pursue a certified public accounting degree. He eventually started his own CPA [Annotator's Note: Certified Public Accountant] practice. He met a multi-millionaire who grew a liking to Donovan. They became fast friends.

[Annotator's Note: A person off camera comments in the background throughout this clip.] Harry A. Donovan became a millionaire when he was in his 40s. He got a tip from a friend about land in Florida and he bought some. One day he received a call from the Nixon [Annotator's Note: Richard Milhous Nixon, 37th President of the United States, 1969 to 1974] administration asking if he could be an advisor. Donovan sold his accounting business so he could be an advisor to Nixon. [Annotator's Note: The interviewer pauses the interview at 0:58:45.000.] Donovan believes his past experiences as a farm boy, serving in the Navy, and God's grace led him to his career successes. He believes he is the proudest citizen of America and deeply loves what this country can do for its people. His life mission is to help someone every day. He gives half of his salary to charity every year. He started up several restaurants and bought a nursing home, which were all profitable.

Harry A. Donovan believes it is important to have institutions like The National WWII Museum [Annotator's Note: in New Orleans, Louisiana] and believes it is important to help American veterans. He recalled when he was in his early 20s and he was on and out of a hospital. He talked to a patient who wanted to go home for Christmas. Donovan went to the hospital administrator and told him an idea. He asked if the hospital administrator would buy bus tickets for all the veteran patients who want to go home for Christmas, and he would reimburse him. Donovan received a 4,200 dollar bill. It took three years to pay it off. He believes that it is important to help people. Over a 17 year period, he bought 14 lots in poor areas of Akron, Ohio so he could build a facility that would help the poor and needy families. The most precious moments of his life were helping people. He wants future Americans to never give up on America, never give up on God [Annotator's Note: a cell phone rings at 1:14:46.000], and never give up on their fellow man. Donovan was able to retire at 42 years old as a millionaire and set on a mission to help young people and businesses find financial stability. He has been part of several major corporations. Donovan knows several well-known economists.