CW4 (Ret.) Donald Anthony Price

Searcy Funeral Home & Crematory

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Posted by: MikeThompson
[email protected]
334-393-2273 or 334-347-2517
Date: Jun 27 2023 3:41 PM

CW4 (ret) Donald A. Price, age 73, of Enterprise, AL, passed away, Friday, June 23, 2023 at Medical Center Enterprise.

The family will hold a private memorial. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Kitty Kottage at 131 East Selma Street, Dothan, AL, or through PayPal ([email protected]) or Venmo (Kitty-Kottage-Dothan).

Donald was preceded in death by his brother, Rodney Price.     

Survivors include the love of his life, Judith Price of Enterprise, AL; three daughters, Samantha Bryan (Josh), Enterprise, AL; Kelly Perez (Marcus), Ponte Vedra Beach, FL; Kimberly Young (Shannon Brown), Naples, FL; one son, Kenneth Young, Enterprise, AL; six grandchildren, Hailey, Addison, and Walker Bryan, Tyler and Sydney Perez, and Taylor Young; and one sister, Rosemary Davis (Wade), Raleigh, NC.

Don was drafted into the US Army in 1970 and served his nation faithfully for 23 years, retiring in 1994 as a Chief Warrant Officer Four. He served in Vietnam as an OH-6 scout pilot earning 13 air medals, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Don was instrumental in the development of the US Army’s armed reconnaissance helicopter, the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. He deployed to the Persian Gulf with Task Force 118 in support of Operation Prime Chance where he employed the OH-58D from US Naval ships against Iranian gunboats.

A Master Army Aviator, Don performed duties as an OH-58D standardization pilot, instructor pilot, and rotary-wing instrument examiner. He mentored and trained numerous Army Aviators over the many years he spent instructing at Fort Rucker. His military decorations include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal (2^nd oak leaf cluster), and the Vietnam Service Medal with three service stars.

Don had a great sense of humor which often manifested as dad jokes and animal sounds to the delight of his grandchildren. A self-proclaimed “Aviator Extraordinaire,” he was a wealth of knowledge of Army Aviation history and enjoyed retelling his aviation exploits. In his free time, Don loved spending time with his family, reading science fiction and military history, and doting on his cats.

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