In October 1964, Don was ordered to the “Fighting Redcocks” of attack Squadron 22 as commanding officer (August 6, 1965 Life magazine shows him on this duty). In 1965, Captain Wyand participated in 161 combat missions in Southeast Asia from the U.S. Midway. For this service Don was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses, 15 Air Medals, three Navy Commendation Medals, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star and Palm, and his squadron was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation.Don then reported to the USS Coral Sea as navigator and became operations officer. In 1967, he reported to Staff, Cincpacflt as striking forces officer, and later as command and control officer.In 1970, Captain Wyand assumed command of the USS Kawishiwi AO-146 in Pearl Harbor and was sent to London, England as operations officer. After two years in England, Don was sent to Athens, Greece as commanding officer, Navy Fleet, Support Facility before returning home to the U.S. for retirement.Don married Barbara Baldwin of Greenville, Michigan in 1945, and they had three children - Susan, Donald and Nancy - who followed their father as duty permitted. Don and Barbara are now enjoying their retirement in Winona Lake, Indiana.
Commander Donald M. Wyand, USN, Class of 1941
October 20, 2006
Santa Paula High School
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By B. J. Harding, President, SPUHS Alumni Association
Born in Kisbey, Canada to Hedley and Violet Wyand, Donald came to Santa Paula with his parents and brothers Norman (‘38), Frank (‘38) and Neil (‘41) to attend local schools. The other children of this family, Clement (‘44), Patsy (‘48) and Allen (‘49) were born in Santa Paula.Dad came to Santa Paula to work for Limoneira Company, and they first lived on the ranch. He was later promoted to head of the Water Department, and the family lived in a house at Barkla and Main Streets. In later years, Barkla was changed to Palm Avenue from Main south, and this corner is now Palm and Main Streets, and the house was moved to Fagan Canyon.At Santa Paula High School, Don was a member of the basketball team and in the Letterman’s Club. Some of his classmates were Don Shoenberger, Elwood “Buddie” Greist, Jim Love and Don Grainger.After graduation, Don went to San Jose State and joined the Naval Reserve. In March 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and began flight training. His training was at Ely, Nevada, St. Mary’s and Norman, Oklahoma with Jack Gilmore (‘41) and David Stone (‘41), both classmates from SPUHS. In 1945 he was designated a Naval aviator and reported to Torpedo Squadron 41 and embarked in the escort carriers Bairoko Baedong Strait, Rendova and Point Cruz.From 1948 to 1952, Don continued his postgraduate studies at the University of Michigan. He was recalled to active duty and assigned to the Staff Comfairseattle. In 1953, he was assigned to Fleet All Weather Training as a night attack and instrument instructor. He was then ordered to the Naval Examining Center, Great Lakes, and in 1955 was aviator section head.Don graduated from the General Line School in Monterey, California and the Armed Forces Staff College, as well as the Naval Intelligence School in Washington, D.C. In 1958 he was ordered to CVG-9 staff, and in 1960 as operations officer. In 1961 and 1963, Don completed two Westpac deployments in Ranger, and in 1964 he served as executive officer of Atkrons 125 and 113. He also participated in the flight operations incident in the 1964 Laos crisis.
