Mr. Rander was the father of Lysa A. Hall '78, Page Rander '84,
AFS Exchange Student (Costa Rica) Wilson Chongkhan Chan '77,
and AFS Exchange Student (Liberia) Deborah Slewro Grant '83

Donald J. Rander, a five year Vietnam prisoner of war and 23 year
veteran of the United States Army, died April 21, 2005, at the VA
medical center in Gainesville, Florida. He was 66.

The cause was complications from lung cancer.

Born June 4, 1938, the only child of Mary Louise Holmes and
Henry Rander, Don was raised in the South Bronx, New York,
and later resided in Mt. Vernon, New York. He attended Catholic
schools graduating from Cardinal Hayes High School. Rander
attended Adelphi College in Long Island, New York, before going
to work at First National City Bank of New York, Capitol
Airlines, and British Overseas Airlines.

Left: Donald J. Rander is reunited with his then-wife Andrea in 1973 after his release from a North Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camp. Credit: Associated Press Photo


 

Rander addresses Peary students ~1976	Donald Rander, 1938-2005

In November 1961, Rander was drafted into the Army, completing his basic training at Ft. Dix, New Jersey,
and advancing to military police training at Ft. Gordon, Georgia. He also served for 20 months in a security
company in France and MP duty at both Ft. Benning, Georgia, and Ft. Holabird, Maryland. In July, 1965,
Rander entered the (Army) Intelligence School, then located at Ft. Holabird, remaining there as an instructor in
the Department of Counterintelligence until volunteering for Vietnam in 1967. He was assigned to the Hue
(Vietnam) Field Office as the Special Agent in Charge when the city was overrun during the Tet Offensive in
February, 1968. He was captured during this time-and thus began his five year, two month imprisonment. On
March 27, 1973, Rander was returned to American hands and reunited with his family three days later.

Rander’s POW experience was filled with interrogations, torture and solitary confinement. For years after his
ordeal he would retell his story countless times to school, veterans and community groups, as a debriefing for
service members, including the British military, and numerous reporters including a 1973 appearance on the
“Dick Cavet Show.” More recently he recounted his story in the book, “We Were There: Voices of African
American Veterans from World War II to the War in Iraq (HarperCollins/Amistad),” by Yvonne Latty. Last
May, Rander and other featured veterans participated in a talk and book signing for the opening of the “We
Were There” exhibit at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Latty recalls her interview with Rander as extremely moving. “He was a true American hero who sacrificed and
gave so much to his country,” she said. “Despite what he went through, he wasn’t bitter, instead he was proud
to be an American. It was an honor to interview him. I will cherish that for the rest of my life.”

In August 1973, he participated on a committee of Returned POWs who presented a study paper to the Army
Chief of Staff. Based on this work, the Department of the Army position on the Code of Conduct was
formulated and sent to the Secretary of Defense. In May, 1977, he was selected by the Secretary of Defense
to be a standing member of the Department of Defense (DOD) Review Committee for the Code of Conduct.
The recommendations of this committee were accepted and approved by President Jimmy Carter and changes
were made to the Uniform Code of Military Justice and DOD training directives on the Code of Conduct.

From 1975 to 1978, he held office as the Secretary for Army Affairs on the National Executive Board of the
Red River Valley Association (RRVA), a fraternal organization comprising more than 3,000 members from all
services. The RRVA is a non-profit organization which supports a scholarship program for the children of
MIAs.

Rander continued his military service for another 10 years after his repatriation, remaining in counterintelligence.
Following his military retirement as a Chief Warrant Officer 3, he served another 20 years as a civilian in the
same position, completing tours with the US Army Foreign Counterintelligence Activity (USAFCA) in
Maryland, US Army Intelligence and Security Command Headquarters (INSCOM) in Virginia, USAFCA in
Hawaii, finishing out his service back at USAFCA in Maryland.

A former resident of Rockville, MD, and Glen Burnie, MD, at the time of his death, Rander was residing in
Palm Coast, Florida, with his wife of six years, Demetra A. Wells. Rander was preceded in death by his
mother, father, and one grandson. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters Kim Jordan (Junior)
of Uniondale, NY, and Page Rander (Oliver B. Spellman, Jr.) of Friendswood, TX; one son Darryl Rander
(Louise), Bronx, NY; two step daughters Lysa Hall (Donovan Sims), Burtonsville, MD, and Joyce Lowery
(James), Turrell, AK; a stepsister Claudette Hurley, Marietta, GA; his former wives Mary Taylor, Bronx, NY,
and Andrea Rander, Bethesda, MD; an uncle, Ray Farray Palm Coast, FL, and aunt, Armeta Simmons,
Ocala, FL; 21 grandchildren, and a host of cousins, friends, and fellow returned POWs.

Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 18, at Barranco & Sons Funeral Home,
Severna Park, MD, with a military burial at Arlington National Cemetery at 2 p.m.

Arrangements are being handled by Craig-Flagler Funeral Home, Palm Coast, FL, and Barranco and Sons,
Severna Park, MD. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Disabled Veterans of
America (www.dav.org).

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