Donald E. Ground

Preferred Name: Donald
Date of Birth: August 8, 1931
Headed West: September 9, 2020
Highest Military Grade Held: 0-5 – Lieutenant Colonel
Hometown: Hastings, NE
Biography

Don was an avid pilot. He learned how to fly in high school, earning money to pay for his passion by delivering newspapers. He graduated from University of Southern California in 1953 and immediately joined the United States Air Force, where he became a fighter pilot and then a fighter pilot instructor. He spent 25 years in the Air Force, and retired a Lt Colonel in 1976. His final assignment was at the Pentagon working with the National Guard.

In retirement, he enjoyed traveling and flying his personal plane, a Mooney.

Headed West

Donald E. Ground, LtCol USAF (Ret) “Headed West” on  September 9, 2020.

Donald Earl Ground was born in Hastings, Nebraska, to Carl and Jessie Ground on Aug. 8, 1931 and passed away in Prescott, Arizona, on Sept. 9, 2020 at the age of 89 years.

Don was an avid pilot. He learned how to fly in high school, earning money to pay for his passion by delivering newspapers. He graduated from University of Southern California in 1953 and immediately joined the United States Air Force, where he became a fighter pilot and then a fighter pilot instructor. He spent 25 years in the Air Force, and retired a Lt Colonel in 1976. His final assignment was at the Pentagon working with the National Guard.

In retirement, he enjoyed traveling and flying his personal plane, a Mooney. He also enjoyed spending time with his numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. He lost his first wife, June, to cancer in 1988, and remarried later in 1994.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara Ground, his children, Bruce Ground and Kim Keenan and his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

He is predeceased by his parents, Carl and Jessie Ground, his first wife, June Ground and his siblings, Carl Ground Jr. and Gwen Vance.

Don was interred at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

Source: Daily Courier

Pilot Information

Units Assigned

  • 1953 Entered USAF
  • 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron/7272nd Air Base Wing, Wheelus AFB, Libya
  • 113th Tactical Fighter Wing
  • 27th Tactical Fighter Wing
  • Pentagon, Washington, DC
  • 1976 Retired USAF

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

F-100

Military & Civilian Education

Civilian Education:

  • 1953 University of Southern California