EM2c Charles Donald Frederick,

Unknown Sailor

EM2c Charles Donald Frederick

Military veterans, family, and friends filled St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Abbeville, Louisiana in February 1942 for a Mass in honor of a local man, Charles Donald Frederick, who was killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Mr. Frederick was an electrician’s mate and petty officer second class on the U.S.S. Arizona when he died on Dec. 7, 1941.

He was born Aug. 6, 1919 in Vermilion Parish 140 miles west of New Oreleans to Severin “Frank” Frederick and Alice Mouton Frederick. The father was identified in the 1930 Census as an agent in the sewing machine industry. The mother was a homemaker.

The son enlisted in the Navy on July 11, 1939.

After his death, the town council renamed the street leading to Abbeville High School as  “Donald Frederick Avenue.”

At least one of his brothers, Francis, served in World War II. He was a Seabee.


 
Sources: Weekly Town Talk of Alexandria, Louisiana; Abbeville Progress; Abbeville Meridional; Vermilion Historical Society; Census; Navy muster roll. This profile was researched and written on behalf of the U.S.S. Arizona Mall Memorial at the University of Arizona.
 
 
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