Sons of the American Revolution member Don Fraser will speak to his own SAR chapter about the Purple Heart medal, its history and notable recipients.
Fraser has also received the Purple Heart. His program will be presented at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug.14 at the Captiva Recreation Center. Visitors are welcome.
Fraser originally hails from New Jersey but has lived in The Village of Collier since 2015. Soon after high school graduation, he enrolled in the Naval Academy, graduating in 1967. Fraser next found himself in Pensacola, Fla. for flight training as a naval flight officer and eventual designated a bombardier/navigator in the Grumman A-6 Intruder medium attack aircraft.
Initially assigned to Attack Squadron 196 at Whidbey Island, Wash., Fraser embarked on a Southeast Asian combat cruise aboard USS Ranger. His airplane was shot down over Laos in early 1970 and he got to spend an exciting evening in the jungle before being rescued by Air Force units from Thailand the next day. Other Navy assignments included returns to the Naval Academy as an instructor and later as administrative officer, catapult and arresting gear officer back aboard Ranger, flight instructor duty in Pensacola, leadership positions in Attack Squadron 115 in Japan, work at the Naval Military Personnel Command in Washington, D.C., and finally duty as commanding officer of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, Pensacola. His military awards include the Legion of Merit, a Bronze Star with Combat V, the Purple Heart, three Meritorious Service medals, a meritorious action Air Medal, three strike flight Air Medals, and various campaign ribbons. Fraser retired from the Navy as a captain in 1993.
Following military retirement, Fraser went back to high school where he served as a Navy Junior ROTC Instructor and social studies teacher in the Jacksonville, Florida area. His other interests include ham radio, photography, and SCUBA diving.
Since moving to The Villages, Fraser enjoys many activities, particularly shooting sports, and is an NRA certified Range Safety Officer and Pistol Firearms Instructor.
