Donald Charles Tennity was born on October 31, 1927 to Francis and Edna Tennity of Rochester, New York. He had six siblings.

Tennity attended Paul Revere Trade School in Rochester.

On July 25, 1943, Tennity enlisted in the United States Navy.

On June 6, 1944 (D-Day), S1C Tennity was aboard landing craft LCS-31, aka LCF-31, in the assault on the beaches of Normandy. LCF-31 was to provide anti-aircraft cover for the assault. When enemy aircraft attacks didn’t develop, LCF-31 was redirected to the beach with the first wave of the attack. She was shelled and sunk about 800 yards off the coast. Of the 72 man crew, 54 men perished, including S1C Tennity. His body was recovered that night by LCF-12. He was just 16 years old.

In a letter to his parents days before his death, S1C Tennity told his parents that he was to see action as a gunner on a landing craft.

S1C Donald Charles Tennity was interred in the original Saint Laurent Cemetery in France. He was relocated to Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York in 1947.

S1C Tennity was awarded the Purple Heart.

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References

“S 1-c Donald Tennity Killed in Action”. Democrat and Chronicle. July 22, 1944, p.9.
“H-031-1: Operation Neptune—the Amphibious Assault on Normandy 6 June 1944”. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
Williams, Greg H. (2020). The U.S. Navy at Normandy. McFarland and Company, Inc. Jefferson, North Carolina. p.231.
“LUCKY LARRY LAMPTON”. Northern Express. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
“SMN Donald Charles Tennity”. Find A Grave. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
“UNITED STATES NAVAL CASUALTIES”. NAVAL-HISTORY.NET. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
“Donald Charles Tennity”. HonorStates.org. Retrieved May 5, 2021.

Donald C Tennity