Donald Lee Simpson was born on March 18, 1921 in Bagdad, Florida, the son of the widow Anna Fitzgerald and her late husband Charles Henry Simpson. His father had supported his family as a real estate agent before his death in 1936. Following his father's death, Donald finished high school and worked in construction until he enlisted in the Army on November 17, 1942.
He volunteered to become a paratrooper assigned to the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division. The regiment fought valiantly through the campaigns of North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Netherlands, France, and Belgium. The division was notified late on December 17, 1944 that the Germans had broken through into Belgium and Luxembourg with a powerful armored attack that became known as the "Battle of the Bulge."
On the morning of December 18th Donald's regiment started for the besieged village of Bastogne in large convoy trucks. However, they were diverted to the town of Werbomont because they were in greater peril at the time. During the fighting against heavy German resistance on the 18th Private Donald Lee Simpson of Bagdad, Florida was killed in action. The regiment would survive the Battle of the Bulge, but reported the heaviest enemy fire they had ever encountered in the war. His body was returned home to his family in 1949 and buried in the Bagdad Cemetery.
Private Donald Lee Simpson, Bagdad
Cemetery, Santa Rosa County, Florida
