Exclusive Interview
[Editor’s Note: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution’s farm editor, who is accompanying 49 Georgians on a people-to-people tour of Europe, interrupted his travels to obtain this exclusive interview with another Georgian.]
LONDON, June 1, (1963)—Admiral David L. McDonald will be the first native Georgian to become the top ranking officer of his service when he assumes the position as Chief of Naval Operations on Aug. 1.
The admiral is the youngest of the seven four-star admirals in the Navy and the one with the shortest date of rank, but he carries an interesting and impressive record into the top Navy position.
In an exclusive interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at his London offices where he is currently serving as chief of the naval forces in Europe, Adm. McDonald said he will have an opportunity to visit his native Barrow County more often.
It was in Maysville that the top ranking naval officer first lived and spent much of his time and school days. His mother, Mrs. W.R. McDonald, now lives in Winder.
Reminiscing about the early days of his life, Adm. McDonald said it was really a long way from those times until the present, although he didn’t think of it in those terms very often.
He never really expected to be a career naval officer, never in fact thought much about being in the Navy at all.
When he finished high school in Commerce, he was offered an appointment to West Point by Rep. Tom Bell of the 9th Congressional District. But he soon found he was two months and 12 days too young.
The Congressman then told him he could have the Naval appointment, but by this time the young high school graduate had decided it would be best to go first to a preparatory school.
So he went to Riverside Military Academy for a year, then accepted the appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated in 1928.
Since then he has held exciting positions around the world and the drama has lasted right up to the present time. He was en route to an inspection tour when the call came from Washington to report in two days for a special announcement.
He questioned the decision at first, saying he was meeting some important friends to the American government. He was told that this had been taken into consideration and it was still decided he should be in Washington.
He and an aide left for Washington and at 7:32 on May 6, he was informed that the President had selected him to be the number one Navy officer.
Less than two hours later the action was announced publicly. Soon, Admiral McDonald was en route back to work in the European area.
But it was still new to him. He had thought, as have many top-ranking officers in all services, that someday he might be considered for the highest position in his service.
Yet he was caught by surprise since it had been one month to the day since he reported to the European job and just over that month since he had been given his fourth star.
He is 57 and at least five years away from retirement so he already has done some figuring about the future. The job, under normal circumstances would be for two years, with a potential two more.
Or, he might be in line for the two NATO positions that have international status. Then, of course, there is the top military position of all—the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
He wouldn’t mind the NATO jobs for he has had more experience here than any naval officer. He thinks his most desirable job was the one he left before coming here to London and that was commander of the Sixth Fleet.
It was 45 per cent sea duty, probably his last, but he was separated from Mrs. McDonald not more than two weeks at the time for she flew from port to port to meet and be with him.
Mrs. McDonald admits to being a Yankee, but clearly the charming wife of the admiral has played an important role in the career of her husband.
Tommie to her friends, Mrs. McDonald and the admiral met while he was a student at the Academy. “I lasted as long as I could until she talked me into it a couple years after I graduated,” he teased his wife.
They have two children—a daughter, Mrs. Mary Louise Spears, lives with her family in California and a son, Thomas H. McDonald, lives in Washington. The McDonalds say they’ll have the opportunity to spend Christmas 1963 with their grandchildren for the first time in six years.
The admiral is looking forward to returning to Georgia. He spent eight days in Washington in March, most of the time “just sitting around resting.”