Meet Colonel Timothy H. Donovan (Part II)
NOTES:
- Please read part I of Meet Colonel Timothy H. Donovan first.
- The picture on the right was taken in Schweinfurt, Germany, when LTC Donovan was commanding the 3rd Battalion/64th Armor (1978). They were on full alert. At the end of the lanyard that disappears into his shirt is a Cold War era CEOI (Communications-Electronics Operating Instructions) which contained the unit’s “go to war” call signs and frequencies.
- The jeep is an old M151, which is very similar to the one procured for the Norwich University Corps of Cadets by retired Special Forces Master Sergeant Duke Dewey.
Onward…
RHM: Do you remember what happened after you were wounded?
Colonel Donovan: When I went down I knew it was bad, real bad. My medic, Gary Redding, was right there, but there wasn’t much he could do. When the sniper shot me, it triggered (no pun intended) a new firefight. Somebody was over me firing an M-16 and the hot brass was hitting me in the face (funny what you remember). I was still in command and trying to get the word to my guys, but they were doing fine. When the Huey came in to the midst of it to get me out, I turned command over to a platoon leader. My 1SGT sent me a letter a few weeks after with some pictures. C Troop definitely won the day.
RHM: Do you know what happened to the sniper who shot you?
Colonel Donovan: Yes. Before I hit the ground (in about a second and a half), my 1SGT sent that very brave and courageous soldier from North Vietnam to his heaven.
RHM: When it comes to National Security, what keeps you up at night?
Colonel Donovan: Our lack of unity in fighting this war. What’s the saying? “The Army and the Marine Corps are at war, America’s at the Mall, and Congress is on vacation.” We seem to think that it’s somebody else’s job to protect our freedom, not everybody’s job and duty to protect it. That’s very disturbing to me.
RHM: Norwich has a long history (going back to 1819) of producing military and civilian leaders who accomplish great things. How will Norwich’s role change in the 21st Century?
Colonel Donovan: Norwich has always led the Nation in producing citizens with the skills needed for the time and to meet the current challenge. Whether it was railroad engineers and inventors in the 19th century, to soldiers, industrialists, and visionaries in the 20th century, Norwich has been the educational pioneer. Since its founding in 1819, it has been the revolutionary, not evolutionary, leader in American education. That’s what it will do in this century too.
Conclusion: I had a lot of fun catching up with Colonel Donovan for this interview. Since retiring in 1993, he traded in his tank for a fishing boat. However, he remains very active as a teacher and currently has about 50 students (including many of his neighbors) in the Virginia area that attend his lectures and field trips to various historical sites. Colonel Donovan is also an avid Facebooker and loves to keep in touch with Norwich folks.
About the Author: Randall H. Miller is an American college educator/blogger. He is also a former U.S. Army officer (82nd Airborne) with a M.A. in Diplomacy (focusing on International Terrorism) and a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Use the form on the right to sign up and receive notifications of new content. The words and ideas expressed here are 100% his own and not those of his employers or affiliated organizations.
Daniel Williams | Dec 6, 2009 | Reply
Thanks for introducing me to such an interesting man. I’ll send it around my little orbit…