The D. (David) Donald Heron Archive documents Heron’s career in the United States Navy which included military administrative roles on Yap and Palau, Micronesian Islands during World War II and into the early decades of the Cold War throughout the Pacific.

David Donald Heron (1903-1964) was born in San Jose, California on January 7, 1903, and held permanent residence in San Francisco. Prior to World War II, Heron worked in finance at Irving Lundbord & Co. in San Francisco, becoming a general partner in 1934. Once World War II began, he retired from the brokerage business and enlisted in the Navy as a Lieutenant. On October 5, 1945 he was made Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) of the U.S. Navy Reserve, and was appointed Commanding Officer of the Naval Auxiliary Air Station in Quillayute, Washington. In September 1946, he was appointed Executive Officer of the Naval Military Government Unit in Koror, Palau Islands, as well as Deputy Civil Administrator at Koror and Deputy Governor of the Western Caroline Islands. From 1947 to 1948 while on inactive duty, he worked in the office of the Deputy High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands as the Director of Economic Affairs. In October 1949, he worked in Pearl Harbor as Director of Internal Affairs. On July 5, 1951 Heron was appointed Director, Political Affairs for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, no longer in naval capacity. He served as District Administrator on Yap from 1953 - March 1955 and District Administrator on Pohnpei (Ponape) from October 1958 - June 12, 1959. Heron died in 1964.

One (1) banker box including documents, photographs, letters, and maps; and fifty-one (51) permanent collection items.

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