Donald Conroy

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Colonel Donald "The Great Santini" Conroy (USMC-Ret.) (April 4, 1921 - May 9, 1998) was a U.S. Marine Corps colonel and a member of the famed Black Sheep Squadron during the Korean War. Conroy was also a veteran of World War II and of two tours of duty in Vietnam. He was the father of novelist Pat Conroy and the inspiration for the fictitious character Marine Lt. Col. "Bull" Meechum in The Great Santini. Conroy is interred at Beaufort National Cemetery, South Carolina. Conroy wrote another autobiographical book called My Losing Season in which he said his father was very violent and abusive towards him and his siblings. One of Conroy's brothers later committed suicide and Conroy himself has said violent memories of his father haunt his every waking moment.

[edit] External links

• Eulogy given by his son, Pat Conroy