Donald C. Moore-Danielson was born on 11 March 1955, in Newark, Ohio. His birth parents are James F. Moore & Betty J. (Buck) Donaldson. Donald C. Danielson was later adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Caroll Danielson. Donald married Wendy (Cocanour) Danielson. Donald had one son and one daughter.

Donald Danielson served in the United States Marine Corps. On 6 October 1981, Danielson joined the United States Army Reserves. He then was assigned to the 79th Quartermaster Company (Marion, Ohio), 419th Quartermaster Battalion, 83rd ARCOM. The 83rd ARCOM draws its history from the 83rd Infantry Division “Thunderbolt” or “Ohio Division.”

Danielson was serving as a Sergeant (Sgt.) with the 79th QM, when it was activated on 11 September 1990, for Operation Desert Shield. Operation Desert Shield was an operation of the Persian Gulf War. Sgt. Danielson and the 79th were deployed to the Middle East on 21 October 1990.

The 79th Quartermaster Company (Marion, Ohio) was a water supply company of the Army Reserves. The 79th QM Company was stationed in Marion, at the former 2nd Lt. George F. Pennington Reserve Center. They were responsible for water acquisition, desalinization, treatment, storage and transportation. The focus of the unit’s operation was for arid conditions, in which water was to be stored and transported to support troop operations. They utilized fuel storage bladders, pumping stations and other equipment that was designed, but not used with, petroleum products.

It was reported that on 29 December 1990, that while in ad-Dammam, Saudi Arabia, that Sgt. Donald C. Danielson was killed in an accident while performing his duties. It was further reported that Sgt. Danielson was inside a storage bladder performing cleaning operations, he fell and was entangled in the cooling fan of a desalinization unit. No further details of his accident were sought out by this author.
The body of Sgt. Danielson arrived in the United States via Dover, Delaware, then Columbus before being returned to rest in Newark, Ohio. On 8 January 1991, the remains of Sgt. Donald C. Danielson were laid to rest at the Cedar Hill Cemetery, Newark, Ohio. Full military rites were observed at the funeral.
Danielson left behind a wife, one son and one daughter.

Sgt. Donald C. Danielson’s name does not appear on any memorials in Marion, County, as he was not from Marion. But since he served with the Marion reserve unit and served with many Marion natives, he is honored on this web site.

On 4 July 1992, Marion Veterans Memorial Park dedicated the Gulf War Monument. Members of the 79th QM Company were on hand to remember and honor their comrade in arms, Sgt. Donald C. Danielson.