Donald E. Casey Sr.

Donald Emmett Casey Sr. (1924-2016) was a World War II veteran and POW from Chicago who later became a lawyer and author while deeply involving himself with the city's political world.

Early life Casey was born to Virginia Smith Casey and James Douglas Casey, a Chicago investment banker and World War I Air Service veteran, in Oak Park, IL as the second of four children.

Military service For three of his four years at the Campion Jesuit High School, Casey was a member of the ROTC program. He had to wait until he turned eighteen before enlisting, but went on to sign up for the Army Air Forces' Aviation Cadet program while he was still a student at Purdue. In February 1943, he was called for active duty and completed aerial navigation school by that October and was given the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Assigned to the crew of a B-17 Flying Fortress, Casey and his fellows flew their new airplane from Nebraska to England to join the war effort. Once there, they were assigned to the 379th Bombardment Group stationed at RAF Kimbolton. In April 1945, they were liberated by General George Patton's Third Army. Casey eventually put together a memoir of his wartime experiences called "To Fight for My Country, Sir!"

Political involvement Additionally, he made a number of bids for judge in Chicago and suburban Cook County during the 1970s and 1980s.