Don Burgett: a short biography
Born in Detroit, Michigan April 05, 1925 grew up in the western outskirts of Detroit during the “Great Depression” years. Father: Elmer Wilson Burgett, police officer in Detroit, Michigan, retiring after 25 years service. Mother: Lillian Mae Burgett (Bruce,) homemaker, mother. Siblings, two brothers, one sister. Eldest brother, Elmer B. Burgett. Younger brother, Ralph L. Burgett. Youngest sibling, Shirley J. V. Burgett.
Attended a one-room schoolhouse until the third grade when a multi-room schoolhouse was built. Attended Mackenzie High School, did not complete the tenth grade. Completed high school at night in 1982 at age 57. America entered World War Two December 07, 1941. Nearly every patriotic American man and woman rushed to join the military. At 16 years of age I was one of that group but was too young and not accepted.
Worked on road construction and as a carpenter for the next two years. I joined the army paratroops on my 18th birthday, April 5th, 1943 in Detroit, Michigan. Through an error in military records I was sent to Fort Riley, Kansas and took my basic training in the last active horse cavalry unit in the US, Troop E, 2nd Rgt., 1st Horse Cavalry. On completing basic training I affected a transfer to the Army Paratroops in Fort Benning, Ga. where I completed my paratrooper training. I joined the 101st Airborne Division in Aldbourne, England the last week of February 1944. I was assigned to A (Able) Company, 506 PIR. 101st Abn. Div. Able Company billeted nearly one year in the High Town Stables in Aldbourne, England prior to and following the Normandy Invasion.
I fought in four major campaigns including Normandy, Holland, Bastogne, and Germany ending in Austria. I was wounded three separate times. World War Two ended after we had occupied Hitler’s home in Berchtesgaden, Germany. Discharged December 31, 1945 in Camp Atterbury, Indiana, at age 20. I returned home January 01, 1946 to Detroit, Michigan. I could not vote, buy a car on contract or buy a beer. At age twenty I was not legally old enough. I became 21 April 05, 1946.
I married my wife, Twyla M. Austin in 1953. We now have 5 grown children, 11 Grandchildren and 16 Great Grandchildren. I worked as a carpenter, licensed residential homebuilder and wrote four books on my memoirs in the airborne. My first book “currahee,” completed in 1962 and published in 1967, Houghton Mifflin Co., has been listed by Easton Press as one of the six best written books on World War Two. “Currahee,” Donald R. Burgett is rated equally alongside “To Hell and Back, Audie Murphy, “With the Old Breed,” Sledge Hammer, “Parachute Infantry,” David Kenyon Webster, “Baa Baa Black Sheep,” Pappy Boyington, “The War Journal of Major Damon ‘Rocky’ Gause,” Damon Gause.
My four books in Chronicle order: “Currahee,” Normandy. “The Road to Arnhem,” Holland. “Seven roads to Hell,” Bastogne. “Beyond the Rhine,” Germany.