Don Bastin was a son of James Cordis 'Cordie' and Ilene Dawson (Waddell) Bastin . He was born on 19 September 1931 at Seymour, Hart County, KY. Another photo on this website shows him with his two brothers (Keith and Glen) and with his sister (Christian 'Christine' (Bastin) Taylor).
This Korean War era photo shows him in his US Army uniform. While serving in Korea, Don reached the rank of Sargeant, and survived extremely hazardous combat duty in which his company was wiped out at the Yalu River. He was one of only two survivors out of over one hundred men when their position was overrun. For his valor, he received the Silver Star. (Don was never one to brag; neither his brother Glen, nor I, his nephew, ever knew he had received the Silver Star until after he died!) He married Donna Jean Wells, and they had two children, Ronnie and Donna. Don was a farmer, and also worked many years as a toll-collector on several of the interstate highways in Kentucky. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, and enjoyed the outdoors.
He died on 20 September 1990, the day after his 59th birthday, from complications from a heart attack that he had suffered several days earlier. Don lived outside of Hiseville, Barren County, KY, but died while in a hospital in Louisville, Jefferson County, KY. Pall-bearers included his great nephew, Jeffrey Billingsley, and his nephew, Gary Bastin (me). He was buried in the Horse Cave Municipal Cemetary, in Horse Cave, Hart County, KY. His grave is on the north side of the cemetary, a little ways north of the grave of his nephew, Michael Dale Bastin. Cordie, Ilene, and Christine are also buried in this same cemetary, but on the east side of the cemetary.
(Photo courtesy of Glen and Edith Bastin; thanks, Dad and Mom!)
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