Born in 1929, Don was in his teens when his older brothers went off to serve in WWII. He graduated from Syracuse and was drafted in 1952, as the Korean War was being fought. He did basic training at Fort Eustis, Virginia, and trained for the Surgical Research Team at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The mission of the Medical Research Team was to improve survival rates and outcomes of military casualties.
In June 1953 he flew to Korea to work with the Medical Research Team at the 46th MASH; he was sent to the Battalion Aid Station at Christmas Hill in July 1953, and to Wonju. After hostilities ended, he remained in Korea and worked at the 48th MASH, in the Hemorrhagic Fever Research Unit as it tried to establish the cause and find cures for Korean Hemorrhagic Fever. He also spent time in Japan in the 406th Medical General Laboratory, and on R&R. He returned home having developed many friendships and having gained a deep appreciation and respect for the Korean and Japanese cultures.
An avid photographer, his photos are a record of his friendships and his travels; they document the lives of young soldiers during the Korean War.
Photo, above: After infiltration course, Fort Eustis, VA, 1952. Top row: Marv Stall, Dave Wertheimer, Bernie Fischer, Don Feeney. Bottom row: Russ Hardy, Larson, Lisewski, Duncan, Lonnie Gibbs, Saul Goldberg.
Note: All photos on this site are from the collection of Don Feeney.
46th MASH 