Donald Francis Blair was born July 23, 1923 in Utica, NY to Dennis G. Blair (1880-1964) and Victoria Brzezinski (1883-1934). His parents were married in 1902 in Utica, NY. Donald had an older brother Joseph J. and three sisters, Eleanor, Agnes and Wanda. His mom, Victoria died in 1934 when he was only 11 years old. His dad was a Spanish American War veteran. Donald lived at Verona Station for a few years and then returned to Utica where he attended Kernan School and the Utica Free Academy. The 1930 US Census recorded that he lived at 166 Thorn St. with his mom, dad, at two older sisters, Agnes and Wanda. By 1940 his life had changed . His mom passed in 1934 and by 1940 lived at 1211 Thorn St. in Utica, NY. with his in-laws.

He registered for the draft in June 1942 in Utica, NY. He was 6' tall and weighed 165 pounds with blue eyes and blond hair. He listed his dad as his contact and that he was living at 1211 Thorn St. in Utica. Prior to enlisting in the Navy on December 11, 1942 he was employed at the Savage Arms Corporation and West End Brewing Company. His service number was 6011658. He received his training at Newport R.I. and Melville, R.I. (gunnery school).

In January 1944, S2c (GM) Blair traveled aboard the U.S.S. Stratford (AP-41) to the south Pacific as part of the build up supporting the Allied landings at Bougainville. He was assigned to PT 251 which was part of the Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 20. By late February 1944, U.S. forces had established a beachhead at Empress Augusta Bay and PT boats were heavily used to harass coastal positions and prevent reinforcements. Japanese forces on Bougainville relied heavily on nighttime barge traffic for supplies after losing air and naval superiority in the Solomon Islands.

On the night of February 26, 1944 PT 251 was part of a group of PT boats conducting night interception and harassment patrols against Japanese barge traffic and coastal movements. In the early hours of February 26, 1944 she was engaged by Japanese shore batteries while operating close to shore. During this exchange she was hit by enemy fire which caused catastrophic damage and fire aboard. Three men from the boat survived and were rescued, S2c Blair along with 13 others were lost (complete list below). His remains were never recovered. He was presumed dead a year and a day later, February 27, 1945. A solemn high mass was held for him at the Sacred Heart Church and a cenotaph was placed in the Holy Trinity Cemetery and Mausoleum in Yorkville, NY.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project. This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen on Together We Served and Fold3.

(Please see - http://www.storiesbehindthestars.org).

Can you help us write these stories? Together We Served and Fold3/Find A Grave have smartphone apps that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery and read these stories of WWII fallen.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute, please contact Jim Greenberg at jim.greenberg@oneonta.edu.

SBTSProject/New York/Oneida

Sources

Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1847-1849, 1907-1936 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.

"Donald F. Blair U.S. Navy, Dead", Daily Sentinel, Rome, NY, March 28, 1945

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/213287499/donald_f-blair: accessed February 25, 2026), memorial page for Donald F Blair (23 Jul 1923–27 Feb 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 213287499, citing Holy Trinity Cemetery and Mausoleum, Yorkville, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by B Rozpad (contributor 50074804).

National Archives, St. Louis, MO, 63138, Individual Deceased Personnel File for Donald Blair (6011658), Record Group 92: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Series: Individual Deceased Personnel Files.

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147

"Utica, Herkimer Men Die in Action; 1 Listed as Prisoner, 1 Wounded", accessed at https://fultonhistory.com/. Newspaper, date, page were all illegible.

"Utican Missing In South Pacific", Utica Daily Press, Utica, NY, March 4, 1944, pg. illegible.

"Verona Donald F. Blair, Seaman, Missing", Daily Sentinel, Rome, NY, March 2, 1944, pg. 7.

Year: 1930; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 0143; FHL microfilm: 2341357

Year: 1940; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02862; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 67-90

List of Crew Lost

Edwin H. Avant, MOMM1 (Motor Machinist’s Mate First Class)
Donald F. Blair, SEA2 (Seaman Second Class)
Joseph M. Brunner, MOMM2 (Motor Machinist’s Mate Second Class)
Charles F. Ennis, Jr., RM3 (Radioman Third Class)
Philip S. Gross, QM2 (Quartermaster Second Class)
Ben A. Heaton, Jr., MOMM2
Warren J. Hill, TM3 (Torpedoman’s Mate Third Class)
Nixon Lee, Jr., Ensign
William V. Malone, MOMM2
Ugo A. Marrone, SEA2
Ladislay T. Pasterik, Ensign
Arthur C. Ramsdell, TM3
Jonathan S. Raymond, Jr., LT (Lieutenant)
William X. Saul, SC2 (Seaman Second Class)

Supporting Documents