Donald E. Nate was born in Ogden, Utah on May 22, 1924, the son of Charles H. Nate and Tiena B. Arnold. He was the younger of two children. The family relocated to Montpelier, Idaho in 1929 and Don attended the Lincoln Elementary School and graduated from Montpelier High School, class of 1942.

After graduation, he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with an aeronautical rating of bombardier/navigator. After being transferred and assigned to a flight crew at the Walla Walla Army Air Base he entered into overseas heavy bombardment training in a B-24 Liberator. With that completed his crew and squadron were transferred to the 8th Air Force in England where he transitioned into a B-17 Flying Fortress and completed 32 combat missions bombing military targets over Europe. For his efforts he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, five Air Medals and three battle stars to his European Theater of Operations ribbon for major air campaigns of the battles of Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Germany.

After the war he entered the University of Michigan and graduated from the School of Literature, Science and the Arts with a BA Degree in Journalism. While at the university he met and latter married Janet Kiger from Niles, Michigan. From this union were born four children: Susan, E Jeffery, Cristi and Stephanie- all married and living in the Denver Metropolitan area. His wife passed away in 2007, happily married for nearly 60 years.

After graduation Don and his bride returned to Bear Lake Valley where he was principal and teacher at schools in Bennington and Bern. He enjoyed teaching immensely and had great satisfaction assisting his students in their studies and observing their progress.

In the early 1950s, Don and family returned to the Air Force and was assigned to the Air Training Command at F. E. Warren AF Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming in Civil Service as a technical writer in Air Force Specialties of cartography, photogrammetry and geodetic surveying. In 1958 he was transferred to Lowry AF Base in Denver, Colorado in the same capacity. Later he was promoted to various management positions culminating as the senior civilian and Training Advisor to the commander of the 3415th Technical Training Wing at Lowry AF Base. Upon his retirement in 1989, he received the Air Force Outstanding Civilian Career Service Award Medal.

During Don's civilian assignments to F. E. Warren AF Base and Lowry AF Base, he began and continued his Air Force reserve officer training in communications and continued flying as a navigator. He was on flying status until 1968. He retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel as a Communications/Electronics Staff Officer in 1972.

Embracing his life to the fullest over the years, Don has had many interests: fishing, big-game and upland bird hunting, trap and skeet shooting and was and is an inveterate golfer. He has been past president of the Cheyenne Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees), past president of the Tri-service Sportsmen Club in Aurora, vice president of Denver Air Force Association Chapter 227, director of the Lowry Heritage Foundation Museum and member of the board of directors for the Wings over the Rockies Museum at the former Lowry Air Force Base.

Don observed his 90th birthday last May and enjoys spending time and social occasions with his children, their spouses, five grandchildren and three-great-grandchildren and his many friends.

Classmate profile submitted by daughter, Susan Nate Younger.