Donald's navy leave was permanently cancelled by a crash on Highway 9.

Donald Eugene Folk was born in Lemoore, King County, California, on January 13, 1931, to Cecil W. and Viola Folk. At a later date the Folks moved to Santa Cruz County with their seven children, Donald, Robert, Marjorie, Sara Jane, Cora Sue, Lorraine and Bonnie. Information relating to the life of Donald prior to his entry into the service has not been located.

About 1949 Donald Folk enlisted in the US Navy and received his boot camp training at the US Naval Training Center in San Diego. He received additional training at a navy school qualifying him as an Interior Communication Electrician (IC) and was assigned to the Landing Ship Transport (LST 1073) USS Outagami County.

“LST-1073 was recommissioned in early November 1950, some months after the outbreak of the Korean War prompted by a great expansion of US Navy force levels. This LST was used primarily for transporting tanks, wheeled and tracked vehicles, and artillery along with construction equipment and military supplies to the combat zone.”

When his ship returned to San Diego during the summer and fall of 1952, Folk received a leave to visit his family in Santa Cruz. On the night of September 30, 1952, IC3 Donald Eugene Folk was a passenger in a car traveling on Highway 9, a mile and a half north of Ben Lomond, when it went out of control and crashed, killing him and injuring the driver. Following his funeral, the body of Donald Folk was interred in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno.

(USDVA; DANFS, USS Outagami County LST-1073; SCSn October 1, 1952 1:5)