Biography compiled by the staff of the Naval History & Heritage Command.
- Expand navigation for Bios - A Bios - A
- Expand navigation for Anderson, Edwin Anderson, Edwin
- Expand navigation for Armstrong, Neil Alden Armstrong, Neil Alden
- Expand navigation for Bios - B Bios - B
- Expand navigation for Bean, Alan Bean, Alan
- Belknap, Reginald R.
- Bennion, Mervyn S.
- Benson, William S.
- Expand navigation for Bernatitus, Anne Agnes Bernatitus, Anne Agnes
- Boorda, Jeremy M.
- Expand navigation for Bush, George H. W. Bush, George H. W.
- Expand navigation for Bios - C Bios - C
- Expand navigation for Carpenter, Malcolm Carpenter, Malcolm
- Carter, James Earl
- Expand navigation for Cernan, Eugene Cernan, Eugene
- Expand navigation for Chaffee, Roger Chaffee, Roger
- Expand navigation for Clark, George R. Clark, George R.
- Clark, Vernon
- Expand navigation for Conrad, Charles "Pete," Jr. Conrad, Charles "Pete," Jr.
- Expand navigation for Coontz, Robert E. Coontz, Robert E.
- Cromwell, John P.
- Crowe, William James
- Expand navigation for Bios - D Bios - D
- Expand navigation for Bios - E Bios - E
- Expand navigation for Evans, Ronald Ellwin Evans, Ronald Ellwin
- Expand navigation for Bios - F Bios - F
- Fairbanks, James D.
- Expand navigation for Fechteler, Augustus F. Fechteler, Augustus F.
- Felt, Harry D.
- Expand navigation for Fletcher, Frank F. Fletcher, Frank F.
- Expand navigation for Fletcher, Frank J. Fletcher, Frank J.
- Friedell, Wilhelm L.
- Expand navigation for Bios - G Bios - G
- Expand navigation for Gleaves, Albert Gleaves, Albert
- Expand navigation for Glennon, James Glennon, James
- Expand navigation for Gordon, Richard Francis, Jr. Gordon, Richard Francis, Jr.
- Expand navigation for Grant, Albert Weston Grant, Albert Weston
- Gravely, Samuel L.
- Greenert, Jonathan W.
- Expand navigation for Griffin, Robert S. Griffin, Robert S.
- Expand navigation for Bios - H Bios - H
- Expand navigation for Hancock, Joy Bright Hancock, Joy Bright
- Expand navigation for Hasson, Esther V. Hasson, Esther V.
- Hayward, Thomas B.
- Hendrix, Henry J.
- Expand navigation for Higbee, Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee, Lenah Sutcliffe
- Holloway, James L.
- Expand navigation for Hoogewerff, John Adrian Hoogewerff, John Adrian
- Hopper, Grace Murray
- Hughes, Charles F.
- Bios - I
- Expand navigation for Bios - J Bios - J
- Johnson, Jay L.
- Expand navigation for Johnson, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Lyndon Baines
- Expand navigation for Bios - K Bios - K
- Kelso, Frank B.
- Expand navigation for Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, John F.
- Expand navigation for King, Ernest J. King, Ernest J.
- Knox, William Frank
- Expand navigation for Bios - L Bios - L
- Expand navigation for Leahy, William D. Leahy, William D.
- Expand navigation for Lovell, James Arthur, Jr. Lovell, James Arthur, Jr.
- Expand navigation for Lyle, Alexander Gordon Lyle, Alexander Gordon
- Expand navigation for Bios - M Bios - M
- Expand navigation for Mattingly, Thomas Kenneth, II Mattingly, Thomas Kenneth, II
- Expand navigation for Mayo, Henry Thomas Mayo, Henry Thomas
- Expand navigation for McCandless, Bruce, II McCandless, Bruce, II
- McDonald, David L.
- Expand navigation for McVay, Charles Jr. McVay, Charles Jr.
- Expand navigation for McVay, Charles B. III McVay, Charles B. III
- Miller, Doris
- Expand navigation for Mitchell, Edgar Mitchell, Edgar
- Morison, Samuel Eliot
- Mullen, Michael G.
- Expand navigation for Bios - N Bios - N
- Expand navigation for Niblack, Albert Niblack, Albert
- Nimitz, Chester William
- Nixon, Richard M.
- Bios - O
- Expand navigation for Bios - P Bios - P
- Bios - Q
- Expand navigation for Bios - R Bios - R
- Richardson, John M.
- Rodgers, Thomas
- Expand navigation for Rodman, Hugh Rodman, Hugh
- Roughead, Gary
- Expand navigation for Bios - S Bios - S
- Expand navigation for Schirra, Walter Marty, Jr. Schirra, Walter Marty, Jr.
- Expand navigation for Shepard, Alan Bartlett, Jr. Shepard, Alan Bartlett, Jr.
- Sherman, Forrest P.
- Expand navigation for Sims, William S. Sims, William S.
- Standley, William H.
- Stark, Harold R.
- Expand navigation for Bios - T Bios - T
- Bios - U
- Bios - V
- Expand navigation for Bios - W Bios - W
- Bios - X
- Expand navigation for Bios - Y Bios - Y
- Expand navigation for Young, John Watts Young, John Watts
- Bios - Z
- Biography
- Vietnam Conflict 1962-1975
- Image (gif, jpg, tiff)
David Lamar McDonald
12 September 1906 - 16 December 1997

17th Chief of Naval Operations
(1 August 1963 – 1 August 1967)
Admiral David L. McDonald successfully managed the Navy during the first years of heavy combat in the Vietnam War.
David L. McDonald was born in Maysville, Georgia, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1928. His early service as a naval aviator included duty on USS Mississippi, USS Colorado, USS Saratoga, and USS Detroit. During World War II he completed assignments with Commander Aircraft, Atlantic Fleet and Commander Naval Air Operational Training Command. After the war he served on the staffs of Commander Air Force, US Pacific Fleet, and Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet. He commanded USS Mindoro and later aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea. Subsequent assignments included duty with the Director, Air Warfare in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Thereafter, he served as the Deputy to the Assistant Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers, Europe. In 1960 he took command of the Sixth Fleet and Naval Striking and Support Forces, Southern Europe. Convinced of his superior leadership skills, in 1963 the Navy named him Commander in Chief, Naval Forces, Europe. He took the reins as Chief of Naval Operations when the confrontation in Southeast Asia was heating up and oversaw deployment of SEAL and other US naval forces to the embattled region. McDonald ensured that the Navy provided the Seventh Fleet with the Sailors, Marines, ships, aircraft, and supplies it needed to fight the major war for Vietnam in the critical early years of the conflict.
11 August 2008
Footnotes
- Accessibility/Section 508 |
- Employee Login |
- FOIA |
- NHHC IG |
- Privacy |
- Webmaster |
- Navy.mil |
- Navy Recruiting |
- Careers |
- USA.gov |
- USA Jobs
- No Fear Act |
- Site Map |
- This is an official U.S. Navy web site