A Villager who impressed the audience at the Sept. 19 assembly for the observation of the POW/MIA Remembrance Day at Veterans Memorial Park in The Villages, has passed away.
Donald Chaplin spent a year as a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft 3 in Germany during World War II before he was among POWs liberated by General George Patton.
This past September, during the event at the park, the 93-year-old stood and saluted for 20 minutes during the ceremony.
“It was remarkable,” said Wayne Brown of the Military Officers Association of America who had given Chaplin and his wife, Carol, a ride to the event that day.
Remarkable because Chaplin had suffered the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s Disease. He had moved from the couple’s home in the Village of Belle Aire to Freedom Pointe for care.
Many in the audience approached Chaplin after the ceremony that day to chat with him and thank him for his service.
After the end of World War II, Chaplin went on to serve in Korea and Vietnam. He retired from the Air Force in 1965 as a lieutenant colonel.
Carol Chaplin said her husband’s death was sudden.
On Thursday she had taken him out for a haircut and to have lunch. He died Friday.
To view his obituary, follow the link below:
http://villages-news.com/donald-chaplin/
To view the original Villages-News.com story from the National POW/MIA Recognition Day at Veterans Memorial Park, follow the link below:
http://villages-news.com/93-year-old-former-pow-stirred-villages-powmia-ceremony/
