COLONEL DONALD G. ANDREWS
Colonel Donald G. Andrews was born in 1932 in Miami, Florida. He graduated from high school in 1950 and attended the University of Florida from 1950 to 1954. He was captain of the cross country team and the track team, which won the Southeastern Conference Championship in 1953. He obtained his commission in the U.S. Army through involvement with Army ROTC, was commissioned a field artillery second lieutenant, and received a B.A. in psychology June 1954.
Andrews was called to active duty December 1954 and attended Field Artillery Officer’s Basic Course at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, and the U.S. Army Primary and Advance Aviator Training prior to his first troop duty assignment with the Third Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Georgia. Following his aviation troop duty in 1955–1958, Andrews was transferred to Kitzingen, Germany, for three years of troop duty with the First Battalion of the Ninth Artillery. He served with the battalion from 1958 to 1961 in various assignments, including battery commander, and was promoted to the rank of captain in 1960.
From 1961–1962, Andrews attended the Career Officers Field Artillery Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Fort Bliss, Texas, and upon completion was assigned to Headquarters, Third U.S. Army, at Fort McPherson, Georgia. From 1962–1963, while at Third Army, Andrews was assigned to the Operations and Training Branch of the Aviation Division at G-3.
Andrews served in the Republic of Vietnam on the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, as an action officer in J-3, current operations, from 1963–1964. Upon his return from Vietnam he served for a year with the John F. Kennedy Center for Special Warfare at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, and the next year as an instructor pilot at the U.S. Army Primary Helicopter School at Ft. Wolters, Texas.
Following his promotion to major in 1966, Andrews attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. After graduating from Ft. Leavenworth, Andrews returned to Vietnam where he commanded the Seventeenth Assault Helicopter Company in support of the 101st Airmobile Division in the Northern provinces. Upon his return from Vietnam, Andrews was assigned to the Pentagon as a branch chief in the Operations and Training Division of the National Guard Bureau. While serving in this assignment he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1969.
Andrews was then assigned to the Fourth Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colorado, where he commanded a field artillery battalion and was the division artillery executive officer. Andrews attended the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, in 1974–1975 and earned an MS in communications from Shippensburg State College. Upon graduating from the War College, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Readiness Group at Ft. Douglas, Utah, from 1975–1977. He was promoted to the rank of colonel April 1976. Andrews was designated as the professor of military science at Brigham Young University July 1977.
Andrews is a master army aviator. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal w/V, Joint Services Commendation Medal and the Army Commendation Medal.
Following his retirement from active duty December 1980, Andrews accepted employment with Rocky Mountain Helicopters. Initially hired as director of safety, he was soon promoted to vice president of operations and was responsible for helicopter activities in three major divisions of the company with contracts in thirty-six states as well as overseas. During his employment with Rocky Mountain Helicopters, he served on the board of directors of the Helicopter Association International in Washington, DC.
Following a successful fourteen years with Rocky Mountain, he again retired. He and his wife Marilyn served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the California Anaheim Mission.
Now fully retired, he enjoys the three R's: reading, running and racquetball—as well as the opportunity for extensive travel and continued church and community service.
Andrews also stays involved in the operation of his apple orchards in Wenatchee, Washington, and serves on a grower's advisory committee in the industry.
The Andrews have four children and fourteen grandchildren.
