Jewell collection of World War II papers

Donald Jackson Jewell was born on January 25, 1920 in Baltimore, Maryland. He was the eldest of four children to Charles Clark Jewell (1889-1973), a cabinet maker, and Ruby Orena Pierson (1890-1971). His siblings were Hazel (1921-1933), Albert Bennett (1925-2014), and Anita Betty (1927-2011). The Jewell family resided at 802 Pontiac Avenue in Baltimore prior to the outbreak of World War II. Donald Jewell graudated from Southern High School in 1938, and then spent the next two and a half years working at the Esskay meatpacking plant on Easton Street in Baltimore.

On July 29, 1941, Jewell enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 21. He underwent basic training and then served as food and meat inspector in England. He attained the grade of Staff Sergeant as Senior Hygienist, Meat and Dairy. From August to November 1943, Jewell attended the Medical Administrative School in Camp Berkley, Texas for an Officer Candidate Course. He entered into active service on December 1, 1943 as a Second Lieutenant Litter Officer with Company B of the 110th Medical Battalion, 35th Infantry Division. His responsibilities included training, directing, and supervising personnel in combat litter work, the bringing in of wounded from the battlefield.

Lieutenant Jewell served in a number of battles and campaigns, and was wounded in action in September 1944 in Europe, for which he later received a Purple Heart Medal. He also received a Bronze Star Medal for heroic service in connection with military operations against an enemy of the United States near Berig-Vintrange, France, on November 21, 1944. Lieutenant Jewell, along with an enlisted man, had entered a heavily mined field to render first aid to a wounded soldier and carry him to a collecting station on a litter. As the award letter states, "His unselfish action and complete disregard for personal safety reflects credit upon Lieutenant Jewell's character as an officer, and upon the military service" (Folder 2).

Lieutenant Jewell served additional duty as a Company Supply Officer and for four months after VE (Victory in Europe) Day, served as a Food and Supply Officer in a Military Government Detachment in Germany. He also served as Assistant Adjutant and Personnel Officer in the 787th Military Police Battalion (Seine Section, Paris) for four months in 1945. Lieutenant Jewell returned to the United States in October 1945. He received authorized stars on the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon for the Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns; American Theatre, World War II Victory, and Army of Occupation (Germany) Medals.

Jewell was promoted to First Lieutenant in May 1946, and was discharged just a few months later on July 16th. He married Carolyn Mae Lackey in December 1943, and together they had a son, Donald Girard Jewell (born circa 1952). Lieutenant Jewell died in November 2015 at the age of 95. He is buried at Christ Lutheran Church Columbarium in Baltimore, Maryland.