DONALD C. RITTER enlisted in the United States Navy on September 17, 1939 as an apprentice seaman. He attended recruit training at the U. S. Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois. After training, he was assigned to the Norfolk Naval Hospital at Portsmouth, Virginia for medical training. Following medical training, he was assigned to the U.S.S. Bellatrix, an attack vessel, as a hospital corpsman. He participated in six major campaign areas during World War II including the invasion of GUadalcanal, the first and second battles of the Coral Sea, Casablanca, Sicily and the Aleutian Islands. During the seven years of service he became the youngest Chief Pharmacist Mate in th regular Navy at 19 years of age. He was awarded 7 campaign ribbons, 14 battle stars and a Purple Heart. He received a combat incurred disability discharge on January 29, 1946. from a class project by his niece Laurie Jeffers c1975.