Donald Blackburn: The Guerrilla Leader Who Fought Three Wars and Shaped Special Forces History

Donald Blackburn: The Guerrilla Leader Who Fought Three Wars and Shaped Special Forces History

As many of you may already know, I have been learning thr amazing people who served in the wars. And today I want to turn my attention to Donald Dunwody Blackburn.

He was born on the 14th of September 1916 in West Palm Beach in Florida, at a time when the world was still recovering from one of the largest global conflicts. He chose a career in the military, being a commissioned officer in 1938 and then entering active service in 1940. It must have been a time of anxiety, knowing the world had entered into another global conflict.

When the Second World War broke out, Blackburn was sent to the Philippines, serving as an advisor to local forces. Everything changed in April 1942 with the fall of Bataan. Rather than surrendering, he made the decision to try and evade capture. He and others disappeared into Luzon and began a long period of guerrilla warfare.

For over three years, Blackburn helped organise and lead resistance forces. These were not just regular troops, but a mixture of soldiers and local fighters, many of whom had their own reasons for resisting the occupation. During this time, he not only fought but also helped in establishing infrastructure such as airfields, roads, schools, and hospitals. 

By 1945, his force had become much larger, and they even played a role in supporting the American operations to retake the territory. Blackburn led actions against the strongholds, earning the Silver Star. When Japanese forces surrendered in August 1945, it must have brought huge relief.

After the war, Blackburn continued his military career, he took on teaching, leadership, and international roles, including working with NATO. He became involved in the development of special operations forces.

During the Vietnam War, he played a major role in shaping unconventional warfare. As commander of the highly secretive Studies and Observations Group, he oversaw operations. These were complex, often controversial missions, requiring careful planning and a willingness to take risks. He went on to advise senior military leaders and was involved in planning operations like the attempted rescue at Son Tay. 

He was promoted to brigadier general, and  continued to serve until he retired in 1971. 

He died on the 24th of May 2008 at the age of 91 and was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, a place that holds many who served their country.