Donald Dencker was born on November 25, 1924 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
His parents were Mabel and Fred Dencker.
Don at two years, eight months with his mother, Mabel
Don at Confirmation, 1938
Don, 13, with his parents.
Don standing in front of the Family automobile around 1940
Don was graduated from Roosevelt High School in early June 1942.
During High School Don was part of the Homing Pigeon Club, raising, training, and racing them competively.
Don's High Flyers
18 Pairs - 1940 Team
In Don's backyard about 1942. The family car is in front of their garage. The single opening in the wall was where his homing pigeonns entered their cage within the garage.
During high school, Don knew he wanted to be an engineer.
It was while on a pigeon club event, half way to the event, on a street car, Donald heard the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor.
He was just 17 years old. His feeling then was:
"Well, the Japanese asked for it, we'll take them and beat them. That was the general feeling of all the guys my age at that time. Every fellow realized that they most likely would be joining the service and they would fight for our freedom."
Don in Highschool
Don a bit older
While He was still in highschool, around the first of the year Don read in the newspaper that the Army was forming the Army General Technical program (AGST) and if he scored well on this test he would have a more desirable job once he was in the Army.
He signed up to take the test. Soon an Army officer came around and gave the Army General Technical test to him and many of his classmates.
He scored well on this test, and it was just a matter of time when the Army would be calling him. So Don waited and ended up in a group with others who had also scored well on the test.
