Donald Varnum was raised in Hopkinton. Among six siblings, three boys served in World War II. On 1 April 1945, "Love Day", Don was in the 2nd Marine Division, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Battalion. It has been learned that Don was a forward observer (FO), and at a time during the battle, he was among three surviviors in a platoon of 26 men. Don humbly referred to being on Okinawa as "in combat", with no attendant details.

 

Historical documents suggest Don and Richard Brault were in the same 10th Marines.  At the time it was not known that Richard would come to live in Hopkinton for the rest of his life.  Ralph "Jumbo" Kumlin, of Hopkinton, was in the 2nd Marine Division serving in the recon function.  Richard Varnum, a Seabee on Okinawa, was Don's brother.  Don saw Louie Chouinard and Joe Stanley while in the Pacific.  Louie was with the 4th Marine Regiment, 6th Marine Division.

After the battle of Okinawa, and the preparation for the assault on the Japanese mainland which never happened, Don was assigned to a few months of occupation duty north of Nagasaki. Soon thereafter he was discharged on the West Coast and arrived home to Hopkinton on Easter Sunday in 1946.