Final Salute

Captain Donald Berlin Campbell, CEC, USN (Ret.) passed away 31 March 2019 in Easton, MD surrounded by his family. Don was born 8 November 1938 in Lexington, MS to the late Otho Ray and Johanna Ruth Sanders Campbell. Don was active in his church, served in the Mississippi National Guard, graduated from Durant High School, and attended Mississippi State University for a year before joining 22nd Company, United States Naval Academy. He graduated Class of 1961. Don continued his education at Tulane University (BS and MS Civil Engineering), and advanced management programs at Harvard University and Boston College.

Don’s first tours were at sea aboard USS Zellars (DD-777) and USS Vogelgesang (DD-862) (flying remotely piloted QH50 DASH drones). His Seabee combat tours in Vietnam were OPS, MCB 121(designing and building from scratch a 6 MGPD water treatment plant) and XO, MCB 128. He was the Commanding Officer of Public Works Center NAS Pensacola (when OSHKOSH quit building the Aircraft Crash and Rescue Truck NAS needed, PWC bought the parts and built the apparatus themselves), Fleet Engineer for CINCUSNAVEUR, Director Public Works, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, and Force Engineer, Commander Fleet Air Forces Mediterranean. Other tours include OPS 22nd Naval Construction Regiment, Public Works Director SOUTHDIV NAVFACENGCOM, Public Works Officer Naval Medical Center Bethesda, and many other facilities and construction related tours rounding out thirty years of service to our Navy and the country.

Decorations include the Legion of Merit (3 awards), the Bronze Star Medal (V), Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (3 awards), Combat Action Ribbon, and various campaign and service medals.

Following his Naval service, Don was Director of Facilities for Montgomery County Community College from 1991 to 2001 where he wrote the book for facilities management at the school – then taught it, taught aerobics, and when students asked for koi to be put in the fountains, he created an adopt a fish program where so many people eagerly sponsored koi, that there were enough funds to run koi operations for years!

Don lived simply, loved generously, cared deeply and always spoke kindly. He loved the Naval Academy, attending Navy football games, playing golf, gardening, doing crossword puzzles, and traveling. Don is preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Ruth Ray Dinstel (Woody), and his wife of forty years, Martha Ann O’Boyle “Martie”. Don is survived by his second wife, Kathryn and sons Captain Donald B. Campbell, Jr. (USNA84) CEC, USN (Ret.) (Ann Marie), Captain Joseph A. Campbell (USNA87) CEC, USN (Ret.) (Susanna), and Richard O. Campbell (Kris), grandchildren Elizabeth M. Campbell, Joseph C. Campbell, LT William J. Campbell, USN (USMMA16) and Morgan, Kathryn M. Campbell, Sara Jane Campbell, Richard O. Campbell Jr. “Ross”, Katherine M. Campbell, and stepsons Jason D. Alim (Shelley) and Nicholas C. Alim (Dorothy) and their six children Mason Alim, Reagan Alim, Hudson Alim, Jackson Alim, Carson Alim, Cassidy Alim.

Captain Donald B. Campbell is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.