Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill

1926 - 2015  (89 years)

• Name	Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill
  Birth	20 Feb 1926	Ogallala, Keith Co., NE
  Gender	Male
  Death	7 Mar 2015	Bremerton, Kitsap Co., WA; burial: Tahoma National Cem., Kent, King Co., WA
  Person ID	I4078	forneyclark
  Last Modified	23 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Clarence Cockerill,   b. 10 Jun 1904, Gretna, Sarpy Co., NE d. 28 Jul 1985, Eugene, Lane Co., OR; burial: Redmond Cem., Redmond, Deschutes Co., OR (Age 81 years)
  Mother	Mabel Elma Bohnstedt,   b. 18 Jan 1905, Bohnstedt Farm near Adams, Gage Co., NE d. 13 Jan 1974, Redmund, Deschutes Co., OR; burial: Redmond Cem., Redmond, Deschutes Co., OR (Age 68 years)
  Marriage	22 Aug 1924	Sterling, Logan Co., CO
  Family ID	F1584	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Margaret Elizabeth "Betty" Wright,   b. 3 Feb 1935, Eugene, Lane Co., OR d. 30 Nov 2006, Port Orchard, Kitsap Co., WA; burial: Tahoma National Cem., Kent, King Co., WA (Age 71 years)
  Family ID	F3080	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	23 Apr 2024

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Cockerill, Wendell & Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill (1926-2015) & Beverly Cockerill & Clifton "Gayle" Cockerill Group photo of the children of Clarence Cockerill & Mabel Bohnstedt Cockerill, which was taken about 1935, came from the Clifton Cockerill Archives. Included (standing) is Wendell Cockerill. Included (L-R, in front) are Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill & Beverly Cockerill & Clifton "Gayle" Cockerill. Darrell Cockerill was born after this photo was taken. See Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill’s website “Samuel Cockerill Genealogy” at http://olypen.com/cliffc/genealogy/index.html
  		Cockerill, Donald Clarence “Don” (1926-2015) & Wendell Cockerill & Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill & Merle Neilson & Beverly Cockerill & (in back) Clarence Cockerill (1904-1985) Group/ Farm/ Horse/ Automobile/ Tree photo was taken in Divide, Oregon, in 1939, and came from the Clifton Cockerill Archives. See Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill’s website “Samuel Cockerill Genealogy” at http://olypen.com/cliffc/genealogy/index.html Included (L-R) are Donald Clarence “Don” Cockerill & Wendell Cockerill & Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill & Merle Neilson & Beverly Cockerill & (in back) Clarence Cockerill. Divide, Oregon was located 27 miles south of Eugene, Oregon, on I-5. The town no longer exists. This photo is part of the album "Men & Women Conquering Trees."
  		Cockerill, Donald Clarence "Don" (1926-2015) & Mary Ellen Townsend (1870-1945) & Lois Nielsen & Hazel Nielsen & Mary Ann Nielsen & Mabel Elma Bohnstedt (1905-1974) & Clarence Cockerill (1904-1985) & Beverly Cockerill & Merle Nielson & Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill & Wendell Cockerill Group photo was taken in Divide, Oregon, in 1939, and came from the Clifton Cockerill Archives. See Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill’s website “Samuel Cockerill Genealogy” at http://olypen.com/cliffc/genealogy/index.html Included (L-R, back row) are Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill & Mary Ellen Townsend Bohnstedt & Lois Nielsen & Hazel Nielsen & Mary Ann Nielsen & Mabel Elma Bohnstedt Cockerill & Clarence Cockerill. Included (L-R, front row) are Beverly Cockerill & Merle Nielsen & Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill & Wendell Cockerill. Divide, Oregon was located 27 miles south of Eugene, Oregon, on I-5. The town no longer exists.
  		Cockerill, Donald Clarence "Don" (1926-2015) Individual/ Military photo of Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill came from the Clifton Cockerill Archives. See Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill’s website “Samuel Cockerill Genealogy” at http://olypen.com/cliffc/genealogy/index.html This photo also appears at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143907738/donald-clarence-cockerill
  		Cockerill, Donald Clarence "Don" (1926-2015) Military/ Ship photo of the LST-133 came from the Clifton Cockerill Archives. See Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill’s website “Samuel Cockerill Genealogy” at http://olypen.com/cliffc/genealogy/index.html This LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship was laid down 24 June 1943 at Chicago Bridge & Iron Co., Seneca, IL. The ship was launched 2 November 1943 and was commissioned USS LST 133 on 29 November 1943. During World War II, USS LST-133 was assigned to the European and Asiatic-Pacific theaters and participated in the invasion of Normandy in June 1944 and the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto in May and June 1945. See the notes that relate to Donald Clarence “Don” Cockerill to read both the history of the ship and a recounting of Donald Clarence“Don” Cockerill’s service aboard the LST-133 during WW II. Luke Besosa mentions that this photo also appears on Facebook at the 113th Field Artillery Regimental Association site: https://www.facebook.com/113thfar.org with the exact photo appearing at https://www.facebook.com/113thfar.org/photos/pb.100064292305465.-2207520000./5411647918856844/?type=3 Also, see https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/3265.html for more information about LST-133.
  		Cockerill, Clarence (1904-1985) & Mabel Elma Bohnstedt (1905-1974) & Darrell Cockerill & Clifton "Gayle" Cockerill & Wendell Cockerill & Beverly Cockerill & Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill (1926-2015) Group photo was taken in March 1954, and came from the Clifton Cockerill Archives. Included (L-R, back row) are Darrell Cockerill & Clifton "Gayle" Cockerill & Wendell Cockerill. Included (L-R, front row) are Beverly Cockerill & Clarence Cockerill & Mabel Bohnstedt Cockerill & Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill. See Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill’s website “Samuel Cockerill Genealogy” at http://olypen.com/cliffc/genealogy/index.html
  		Cockerill, Donald Clarence "Don" (1926-2015) & Margaret Elizabeth "Betty" Wright (1935-2006) Photo of (L-R) Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill & Margaret Elizabeth "Betty" Wright Cockerill came from the Clifton Cockerill Archives. See Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill’s website “Samuel Cockerill Genealogy” at http://olypen.com/cliffc/genealogy/index.html
  		Cockerill, Clifton "Gayle" & Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill (1926-2015) & Darrell Cockerill & Beverly Cockerill Group photo of (L-R) Clifton "Gayle" Cockerill & Donald Clarence “Don” Cockerill & Darrell Cockerill & Beverly Cockerill came from the Clifton Cockerill Archives. See also Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill’s website “Samuel Cockerill Genealogy” at http://olypen.com/cliffc/genealogy/index.html
  		Cockerill, Donald Clarence "Don" (1926-2015) & Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill 2-Persons photo of (L-R) Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill & Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill came from the Clifton Cockerill Archives. See Clifton “Gayle” Cockerill’s website “Samuel Cockerill Genealogy” at http://olypen.com/cliffc/genealogy/index.html

  
  

  Headstones

  Cockerill, Donald Clarence "Don" (1926-2015) Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill (1926-2015); Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent, King Co., WA, USA. Photo was contributed to https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143907738/donald-clarence-cockerill by Clifton”Gayle” Cockerill.

  
  

  Histories

  Wheeler, Harold: WWII V-mail written by Harold Wheeler (1920-1988) This V-mail from Harold Wheeler to the Clarence Cockerill family was written September 27, 1943, from somewhere in the south Pacific. It mentions Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill, Darrell Cockerill, and Lucille Wheeler. The V-mail came from the Clifton Cockerill Archives.

  
  

• Notes

  Source: SEE CLIFTON "GAYLE" COCKERILL'S SITE FOR COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION AND REFERENCES: http://olypen.com/cliffc/genealogy/index.html Samuel Cockerill Genealogy: Clifton "Gayle" Cockerill: Name & the following information concerning both the history of the LST-133 that is pictured above and a recounting of Donald "Don" Cockerill's service aboard the LST-133 during WW II: The LST 133 "LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship; Laid down, 24 June 1943 at Chicago Bridge & Iron Co., Seneca, IL; Launched, 2 November 1943; Commissioned USS LST 133, 29 November 1943; During World War II, USS LST-133 was assigned to the European and Asiatic-Pacific theaters and participated in the invasion of Normandy-June 1944 and the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto -May and June 1945. On June 15, 1944, LST 133 hit a German Acoustic mine, receiving serious damage, approximately 40 miles off the Normandy coast. It was towed to Omaha Beach to enable the unloading of men and cargo that it was assigned to deliver. After temporary repairs on Omaha beach, LST 133 was towed back to England/Wales on June 18, 1944, then later back to the U.S. for major repair. After the war, USS LST-133 performed occupation duty in the Far East until late December 1945. Used as a target in the Bikini atomic bomb tests July 1946; Decommissioned, 29 August 1946; Final disposition, sunk as a target 11 May 1948; Struck from the Naval Register, 28 May 1948; USS LST-133 earned two battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation for World War II service. Specifications: Displacement 1,780 t.(lt), 3,880 t.(fl); Length 328'; Beam 50'; Draft unloaded, bow 2' 4" stern 7' 6", loaded bow 8' 2" stern 14' 1"; Speed 12k.; Complement 8-10 Officers, 100-115 Enlisted; Troop Capacity, approx. 140 officers and enlisted; Boats, 2-6 LCVP; Armament; one single 3"/50 gun mount, five 40mm gun mounts, six 20mm gun mounts, two .50-cal machine guns, four .30-cal machine guns; Propulsion, two General Motors 12-567 Diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders." Donald "Don" Cockerill Tour of Duty "Don enlisted into the Navy during May 1944. He received boot camp training in San Diego, CA and subsequently shipped to St. Louis, MO for Electrical training. Don's completion of training was coincident with the final repairs to the LST 133. Don was shipped to New Jersey where he was assigned duty on LST 133 as an Electrician. The LST 133 departed shortly thereafter for a cruise through the Panama Canal to Hawaii then participated in the occupation of Saipan, Guam, Philippines and invasion of Okinawa. Seven trips were made carrying men and equipment between the Philippines and Okinawa. After the Japanese surrender on August 14, 1945, and occupation troops delivered to Japan, Don was assigned to another LST for approximately nine months and discharged from the Navy in June of 1946." Source: https://www.familysearch.org/search/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3Adonald~%20%2Bsurname%3Acockerill~ AND https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRRG-MNN "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRRG-MNN : accessed 15 December 2017), Donald C Cockerill in household of Clarence Cockerill, Leona, Comstock Election Precinct, Douglas, Oregon, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 10-17, sheet 1A, line 14, family 3, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 3360. Donald C Cockerill Son United States Census, 1940 birth: 1926 Nebraska residence: 1940 Leona, Comstock Election Precinct, Douglas, Oregon, United States father: Clarence Cockerill mother: Mabel E Cockerill other: Wendel E Cockerill, Beverley J Cockerill, Gayle C Cockerill Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143907738/donald-clarence-cockerill https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143907738/donald-clarence-cockerill/photo Donald Miller & Clifton "Gayle" Cockerill: Donald Clarence "Don" Cockerill Parents Clarence Cockerill 1904–1985 Mabel Elma Bohnstedt Cockerill 1905–1974 Spouse Margaret Elizabeth Cockerill 1935–2006 Siblings Wendell E. Cockerill* 1930–1988 AND Donald Clarence “Don” Cockerill BIRTH 20 Feb 1926 Ogallala, Keith County, Nebraska, USA DEATH 7 Mar 2015 Bremerton, Kitsap County, Washington, USA BURIAL Tahoma National Cemetery Kent, King County, Washington, USA PLOT Sec. 27 site 349 MEMORIAL ID 143907738