Donald Brown “Don” Edge was born Mar. 23, 1922 to John Wesley and Margaret Louise Brown Edge. He died Aug. 28, 2019 and is buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, CA.
Capt. Edge served with the U.S. Navy in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. In WWII he first served aboard the USS Canberra (CA-70) later on the USS Montpelier (CL-57). He completed flight training in 1947 and became a Flight Instructor in Pensacola, FL. He also served at NAS North Island and NAS Moffet. He reported to VC-3 and deployed on the USS Philippine Sea (CVA-47 and later the USS Hornet (CVA-12) during the Korean Conflict. He was awarded the Air Medal with three Gold Stars in lieu of three addition awards for “meritorious achievement in aerial flight”.
Don became Commanding Officer of VF-213 at NAS Moffet Field, which deployed with the USS Lexington (CVA-16). Following his West Pac tour, he completed two years as Air Ops Officer on the USS Bon Homme Richard (VA-31), then further training and duty aboard the USS Constellation (CVA-64) as Air Wing Commander and back to NAS Miramar. His Wing was awarded the Navy Commendation and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for conducting the first air strikes against North Vietnam.
Subsequent duty brought him to the Pentagon and from there to assume command of the USS Kawishiwi (AO-146), a fleet oiler out of Pearl Harbor. He joined the staff of COMNAVAIRPAC at NAS North Island and next assumed command of NAS North Island. His final tour was as Chief of Staff for COMCARDIV Three with the USS Ranger (CVA-61) out of Alameda, CA.
Capt. Edge was awarded the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal, Philippine Defense Service Medal with one star, Navy Occupation Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and Joint Service Commendation Medal. His final award was the Legion of Merit for his duty as CO of North Island, He accumulated over 4246 flight hours in 15 different aircraft and 1615 fixed wing carrier landings.
Source: ancestry.com
