Donald G. Covey was born on June 15, 1924 in the town of Everett, Snohomish County, Washington to Ellery “Channing” Covey and Monica Covey, nee Brain. Donald’s siblings were Robert and Jewyl Covey. Ellery Covey worked as a carpenter and electrical contractor. He helped establish fire control schools at Mare Island and the Bremerton Naval Shipyard in Washington. During World War II, Ellery Channing entered the U.S. Navy, where he achieved the rank of Lt. Commander, serving as a vocational officer for the Navy.

Donald G. Covey registered for the draft on June 30, 1942. He was 18 years old, 5’11” tall, and weighed 155 pounds. He had brown hair, green eyes, and a dark complexion. He was employed by the Puget Sound Naval Yard. He was inducted into the United States Army on August 30, 1943 in Roanoke, Virginia. He was single, without dependents, and had completed one year of college.

Private Covey served in the 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. The 180th had already fought in the Sicilian Campaign and Southern Italy when Covey joined the unit. The 180th landed at Anzio in January 1944. For the next several months, the Allies were pinned down at the beachhead by German artillery. Beginning May 23rd, the Division launched several attacks which resulted in the Germans abandoning the Gustav line defenses. After nine months of bitter combat, Allied forces liberated Rome in June 1944.

Private Donald G. Covey was killed in action on June 1, 1944 after being hit in the chest by artillery shell fragments. He is buried in the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, Nettuno, Lazio, Italy, (Plot I, Row 6, Grave 15). He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project

(see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to

write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We

Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be

accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact me at clock902@aol.com.

SBTSProject/Washington/King County

Sources:

WWII Army and Army Air Force Casualty List, https://www.fold3.com/image/310763500?rec=299423327

WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954, https://www.fold3.com/record/705160809/covey-donald-g-us-wwii-hospital-admission-card-files-1942-1954

WWII Army Enlistment Records, https://www.fold3.com/record/87326875/donald-g-covey-wwii-army-enlistment-records

American Battle Monuments Commission, https://www.fold3.com/record/529922455/donald-g-covey-american-battle-monuments-commission

Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California), 29 May 1963, Wed · Page 38

https://www.newspapers.com/image/354525883/?utm_source=fold3.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Fold3&_gl=1%2aj9blsl%2a_ga%2aMTc4MzU0Njg5OS4xNjQ5ODg0OTQw%2a_ga_4QT8FMEX30%2aMTY4NDc5MTE5OS4xNDQuMS4xNjg0NzkyNjI3LjEyLjAuMA..&terms=covey&match=1

Findagrave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56307758/donald-g-covey

180th Infantry: a regiment of the 45th Infantry Division, 1945, https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/ww_reg_his/48/

1940 United States Federal Census, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/77599268:2442?tid=&pid=&queryId=ce2c5eb38bc7bcc0490ababc1edece80&_phsrc=xOR61547&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*1bvgpx4*_ga*MTc4MzU0Njg5OS4xNjQ5ODg0OTQw*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*MTY4NDc5MTE5OS4xNDQuMS4xNjg0NzkyNzcxLjI2LjAuMA..

1930 United States Federal Census, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/111999312:6224

Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/72486:9170?_gl=1*1j0up9r*_ga*MTc4MzU0Njg5OS4xNjQ5ODg0OTQw*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*MTY4NDc5MTE5OS4xNDQuMS4xNjg0NzkyNzcxLjI2LjAuMA..

The Seattle Daily Times, Saturday, Aug 05, 1944, Seattle, WA, Page: 3,

https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2%3A127D718D1E33F961%40GB3NEWS-12A60CA08AEA06A5%402431308-12A603E4A6ED5285%402-12A603E4A6ED5285%40?h=3&fname=donald%20g.&lname=covey&fullname=&rgfromDate=1941&rgtoDate=1949&formDate=&formDateFlex=exact&dateType=range&kwinc=&kwexc=&sid=cmhdeqzfemuttqqlnnsexnbfznbygtxb_wma-gateway013_1684637648390

World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/36964615:2238?_gl=1*1j320uc*_ga*MTc4MzU0Njg5OS4xNjQ5ODg0OTQw*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*MTY4NDc5MTE5OS4xNDQuMS4xNjg0NzkyOTQ0LjYwLjAuMA..

Donald G Covey