The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the June 2017 story of the month has been selected to honor the service of Hospital Corpsman Second Class Donald Garrold. The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program was privileged to interview Hospital Corpsman Second Class Donald Garrold at the USS Harwood Association Reunion in the fall of 2016 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.   

While in High School Donald Garrold participated in post graduate courses with a special emphasis studying to be a pharmacist. Once hostilities broke out in Korea, Garrold enlisted in the United States Navy and had an interest to become a pharmacist mate. Upon completing boot camp, he shared, "I did pretty well in boot camp, was a company commander...and went to become a Hospital Corpsman." He shared detained descriptions of his training, learning valuable skills to treat a variety of wounds and ailments. He praised his instructors who were mostly World War Two Veterans, he recalled “The nurse that taught us nursing care had been a Prisoner of War of the Japanese, that poor women... she was a great person." His first assignment was at St. Albans Naval Hospital where he treated soldiers returning home from the Korean War. These soldiers had a variety of battle wounds he would treat both physically and mentally. This experience would prepare him for duties at his next assignment, which would aboard the Destroyer, USS Harwood.

He was ordered to Rhode Island where he would join the crew of the USS Harwood. Garrold remembered, "They took me out to the pier to wait for a boat to go to the USS Harwood. If you ever saw the statue of the Lone Sailor, that we me, it was dark, it was cold, I was scared, and I was holding my sea bag, waiting for my ship." While on the USS Harwood, he experienced a number of life changing events, providing medical treatment and aid to the crew. He shared in great detail, the life of a Hospital Corpsman on a Destroyer during the Cold War. In addition to his Destroyer service, he spoke of his proud Navy Family and the achievements of his children, continuing his legacy, serving in the United States Navy.

The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program honors, Hospital Corpsman Second Class Donald Garrold, featured within this series titled, Stories of Service, Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial. To learn more about this story and to explore the Navy Memorial archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site at https://www.navymemorial.org/stories-of-service.