The Rotary Club of Enfield is honoring Enfield’s veterans by sponsoring military tribute banners that will be displayed in Higgins Park, the Town Green, Freshwater Walkway, North Main Street and Hazardville between Memorial Day and Veterans Day in 2026 and 2027. The Enfield Public Library partnered with Enfield Rotary to preserve digital versions of these banners as well as biographical information about each veteran.
donald cherry
United States navy 1976-1991
gulf war
petty officer second class
Don joined the Navy In 1976, graduating from Chicopee Comprehensive High School out of Chicopee, MA and went to Navy boot camp. U.S Navy Recruit Training RTC Orlando, FL 9/1976 - 10/1976, Radioman “A” school San Diego Ca. 10/1976 - 6/1977 and then to Morse Code School in Charleston SC 6/1977 - 7/1977. His first deployment was to the USS Albany (CG-10) 6TH Fleet, Gaeta, Italy 8/1977 - 8/1979 working as Radioman Tech control team. Making the Rank of Radiomen Third Class USS Saratoga (CV60) RM Technical Controller 9/1979 - 9/1981 was his next deployment out of Mayport FL attending RM Technical Control School San Diego CA 8/1979 - 9/1979 received the qualifications of a Technical Control Radioman 2nd Class before he moved on to civilian life and a stint in the Naval Reserves. Navy Reserves served for naval units listed. NR Navcommtelcom 201, NR Navcommgru Sicily, NR Navcommsta Sicily, NR Comnavcommsta Sicily 9/1991 - 10/1994, earning the rank of Radioman First Class and was the Senior Radioman of the reserve group, Career Counselor during his enlistment at the Chicopee, MA Reserve Center. Serving out his Navy Reserve Career with NR ComSubLant BGS 201 10/1994 - 10/1996 Senior Radiomen, Career Counselor served as Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Captain of NR ComSubLant for 3 years. Don also received the Navy Achievement Medal for his work in getting his unit 100% qualified for advancement testing and his work as Senior Enlisted Advisor for the unit. Don retired in October of 1996 USNR (Ret) with a great Naval Career.
Don lives with his wife Marilyn and two children, Andrew and Allison, in Enfield, CT. Member of the American Legion Post 154 as the ADJ, Member of Veterans Council, Masonic Masons South Hadley, MA for 25 years where he was Master of Mt. Holyoke Lodge, Member for 20 years of Springfield Shiners, Chicopee MA, Member of Moose Lodge Enfield, CT. He was coach for the Enfield Soccer Association for 5 seasons. Don earned an Associate Computer Science Degree at STCC.
