Donn F. Draeger

Donn F. Draeger
Draeger on the set of the James Bond film You Only Live Twice (1967), for which he served as martial arts coordinator
Born	Donald Frederick Draeger (1922-04-15)April 15, 1922 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Died	October 20, 1982(1982-10-20) (aged 60) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Rank	Kyoshi menkyo in Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū, 5th-dan judo, 7th-dan kendo, 7th-dan iaido, Menkyo (post.) in Shindō Musō-ryū Jōdō and 7th-dan in jōdō.

Donald Frederick "Donn" Draeger (April 15, 1922 – October 20, 1982) was an internationally known teacher and practitioner of Japanese martial arts. He was the author of several important books on Asian martial arts, and was a pioneer of international judo in the United States and Japan. He also helped make the study of martial arts an acceptable topic of academic research.

Donald Frederick "Donn" Draeger was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 15, 1922. His parents were Frank and Irma (Poetsch) Draeger. In 1940, at age 17, he was living in Milwaukee with his father, his stepmother Dora, two half-brothers, and his father’s stepfather and mother. He was married in Bluefield, West Virginia on June 18, 1949. During the next two years, Draeger and his wife had two sons. The family separated in the spring of 1951.

In 1956, Draeger attended Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and in 1959, he was awarded the bachelor of science degree from Sophia University in Tokyo.

Draeger died on October 20, 1982, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Milwaukee. Cause of death was metastasized carcinoma. He was buried at Wood National Cemetery in Milwaukee on October 25, 1982.

Draeger served in the United States Marine Corps from 1943 to 1956. He began his recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in January 1943. After graduation, he attended officer candidate school at Marine Barracks Quantico. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in April 1943.

Draeger received branch training as a signal officer, and in October 1944, he was assigned to Corps Signal Battalion, V Amphibious Corps. During February and March 1945, Corps Signal Battalion participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima.