Donald Richard Ostrander, the son of Wilbur Tindle and Hazel Dell (Hall) Ostrander, was born in Stockbridge, Michigan on Sept. 24, 1914. Upon graduation from Stockbridge High School in 1931, he attended Western State College in Kalamazoo (1931-1932). He then went on to receive his B.S. from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1937. His first assignment as a 2nd lieutenant was in the Army as an aviation ordnance officer. He served in England during World War II and helped modify the P-38 aircraft to accomadate a bombardier. Ostrander advanced through the ranks to become Major General in the U.S. Air Force (1958). From 1951 to 1954, he served as the first commander of the Holloman Air Development Center in Alamogordo, N.M. Other career positions included NATO International Staff (1958-59), an assignment with NASA (1960-61), and Commander of the Office of Aerospace Research in Washington, D.C. (1962-65). After 28 years of service, General Ostrander received the Distinguished Service Medal when he retired in 1965. In 1966, Ostrander became vice president of planning for Bell Aerosystems Co., Buffalo, N.Y. He died in 1972. He was married to Frances Ann Dunn on July 6, 1940. They had 3 children, Mary Frances, Don Richard, Jr. and Sally Ann.
From the description of Donald R. Ostrander collection. (State Archive of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 40653967
