D.C. Pressentin (1923-1998) was born in Madison (Wisconsin) and graduated from East High School in 1941. In 1942, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin and joined the Air Force cadets program. After training to be a fighter pilot at Gettysburg College, Maxwell Air Base, Bainbridge (Georgia), and Marianna (Florida), Pressentin was commissioned a first lieutenant and assigned to the 324th Fighter Group, 315th Fighter Squadron. He flew 58 missions in Italy, Corsica, France, and Germany until he got injured in a crash in Spring, 1945. Pressentin spent the last few months of the war in hospitals in Marseilles, Boston, and Denver before his discharge. After World War II, Pressentin got married and returned to UW-Madison to get a B.A. in economics and a law degree. He paid for his education with the G.I. Bill, his job at the Oscar Mayer factory, and his salary from the Air National Guard. In 1950, Pressentin passed the bar but was called to active duty in the Korean War shortly after. He served at Truax Air Field (Wisconsin) and at Sioux City Air Base (Iowa) with the Air Defense Command. He left the Air Guard in 1953. A member of the VFW, DAV, American Legion Pressentin was a life-long lover of flying. Later in life, Pressentin joined the P40 Association.
From the description of Oral history interview with Donald "DC" Pressentin, [sound recording], 1997. (Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center). WorldCat record id: 642354403
