Donald L. Whitman Fellow and Scholar Program

Donald L. (Don) Whitman was an officer and a gentleman, husband, father, grandfather, teacher, scholar, Distinguished Naval Aviator, and leader who treated everyone equally with honesty and integrity. He had two extremely successful careers, military and civilian. He was proud of his work yet always humble, while impressing with his knowledge, class, sense of humor, and “whit”. 

Don Whitman was born on August 17, 1927, in Los Angeles, California, raised in Lancaster, California by his Aunt Glad and Uncle Don in the high Mojave Desert near Muroc Army Air Base, later Edwards AFB. It was here his interest in flying most likely took off.

In 1944 Whitman graduated high school in Los Angeles and soon enlisted in the Navy July of 1945 at age 17 during WWII. He was assigned as a crewman on a PBY seaplane out of Jacksonville, Fl. In 1947 he entered the Navy’s V-5 college program where qualified enlisted men could become Naval Aviators. He attended the University of South Carolina for a year and was transferred back home to Los Angeles where he attended the University of Southern California to finish his AS. In 1948 Whitman was transferred to Pensacola, Florida for primary flight training at NAS Saufley Field. While there he met the love of his life, Naomi (Noni) Howard, a local Pensacola girl working as a dental assistant. A girlfriend of hers had a date with Don’s roommate and she asked Noni to go along on a blind double date which she was reluctant to go on. Well they hit it off and after the courtship, they decided to get married; however, the current Navy regulations would not let Midshipmen get married, so they eloped from the Navy, to Waynesboro, Mississippi where they were married on September 4, 1948. By the time the Navy found out he had made Ensign, and there were no repercussions.

After completion of flight training Midshipman Donald L. Whitman earned his aviator’s Navy “Wings of Gold” on August of 1949.

In 1950 Whitman was commissioned as an Ensign and served in various squadrons flying torpedo bombers and transports during the Korean War. He was promoted to Lt. jg. transferred and served as a flight instructor at NAS Whiting Field in Milton Florida in 1952. In 1953 they had their first son Donald H. Whitman. In 1955 he transitioned to jets along with a tour in the Pacific as officer in charge of Guided Missile Group One flying the FJ-3 Fury jet on the USS Shangri-la.

In 1960 it was back to school in Monterey, California attending the U.S. Naval Post Graduate School where he earned a B.S. in math. Soon they had their second son Mark E. Whitman. Following school he was stationed at the USN missile testing range at nearby Pt. Mugu where he was on the cutting edge of guided missile and drone technology. While there during the Mercury space program he was part of the West Coast communication and tracking ground crew at Pt. Arguello, California of John Glenn’s orbits of Friendship.

The next chapter in Whitman’s Navy career had him transitioning to the Navy’s fastest fighter interceptor of the time, the F-8 Crusader with VF-124 at NAS Miramar, California. While training his F-8 flamed out forcing him to eject and breaking his leg when he hit the ground. He served two tours during the Vietnam War, first with VF-162 “The Hunters” as Operations Officer off the USS Oriskany, earning seven Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross, our country’s highest award for aerial heroism. His next squadron was VF-194 “The Legendary Red Lightning” as Executive Officer off the USS Ticonderoga, earning five more air medals and a second DFC. On March 31, 1967 Commander Whitman “unofficially” shot down a MiG-19, witnessed by three other naval aviators, but was denied the official kill due to political reasons at the highest levels as the pilot was believed to have been a high-ranking Soviet bloc officer. Commander Whitman flew 220 missions over North Vietnam believed to have been ‘but not verified’ the most by any Navy fighter pilot at the time.

After distinguishing himself in Vietnam Commander Whitman was given command of his own squadron in June of 1967, VF-62 “The Boomerangs” out of NAS Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida and back to the USS Shangri-la, patrolling the Mediterranean as the spearhead of United States military air power during the Cold War. He was glad to become command officer (CO) of his own squadron but was disappointed that it was not in Vietnam as he wanted to command a squadron in combat, he fought it but they were only allowed two tours in Vietnam at the time. That said it was a good tour as they were not being shot at every day or playing chicken with SAM's (surface to air missiles). They were able to enjoy the Mediterranean and Europe, Noni even flew over for a couple of weeks for some well-earned R&R together.

Whitman’s next assignment were orders to Washington D.C. at the Pentagon as Fighter Aircraft Program Coordinator where he oversaw procurement, testing, and training, and was a direct liaison to senior government officials. Commander Whitman was a foremost authority on Navy fighters of the time, primarily the F-8 Crusader, F-4 Phantom, and the soon to be in service F-14 Tomcat. Whitman was instrumental in the organization of the fighter pilot tactical training school soon known as “TOP GUN.” During the time at the Pentagon he was still flying, F-4’s, and an early version of the F-14, along with, well, some things he could not talk about and did not until after he retired. MiGs? All aviators have a logbook, a record of every flight they flew during their whole career yet strangely enough there are no entries for his time at the Pentagon.

His outstanding work at the Pentagon earned him the Meritorious Service Medal and a promotion to Captain on August 1, 1970. The time in D.C. was exciting for Capt. Whitman and the family with no more sea time he was able to spend more time with them taking advantage of the history and sights that Washington offered. Don and Noni enjoyed cocktail parties and dinners with the ‘beltway crowd’, while he got closer to his second career interest in government. While in D.C. he attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Ft. McNair and George Washington University working towards an M.S. in government administration.

In 1973 it was back to Pensacola, Capt. Whitman was offered the job as Commanding Officer at NAS Saufley Field where young candidates first learn to fly just as he did many years before. As CO, he managed the entire base operations, personnel, budget, and training, while being a very active leader within the community, working with local and state governments, facilitating the Navy's impact and assistance where needed. Though he had more responsibility than ever as a leader, the command was indeed an enjoyable time for Don, Noni, and the family. Capt. Whitman also enjoyed being an active Boy Scout leader with the local council and an active member of the Pensacola Rotary Club.

In September of 1975 after some 6000 hours of flight time, over 700 carrier launches and traps, 220 combat missions, and thirty years of decorated service to our country Captain Donald L. Whitman retired from the United States Navy, dropping the title of Captain and wanting to be just “Don” Whitman.

In the fall of 1975 Whitman enrolled at the University of West Florida to finish the M.A. he had started at George Washington; he completed his Masters of Arts in Political Science at UWF a year later. While there he taught as an adjunct and set his sights on where he could put his experience and knowledge to work. Through his work he discovered the need and resources within the state university system to create a center for state and local government at UWF. Hence The Center for State and Local Government at the University of West Florida’s political science department was born. Soon there were other similar fledgling centers at other universities in the state following Whitman’s model. These centers were a resource available for applied research, training, and technical assistance for state, local, public, and government administrators. The Center became a bridge between the University and the public it served, to solve real problems. Don Whitman was hired by the university as its director and the center flourished. Whitman’s expertise and opinion was sought after by media, government and academics. He was often a guest writer for the Pensacola News Journals Op-Ed page. It should be noted that all of his higher education was paid for through his military service.

Donald L. Whitman’s Master of Arts diploma from the University of West Florida, 1977. 

Over the next twenty years the Center for State and Local Government was a key resource and asset of UWF. The center under Don Whitman’s leadership and professional guidance was a self sufficient, living, and working, enterprise and the center thrived as it provided a needed service to the community. The Whitman Center conducted numerous studies, surveys, training programs, and technical-assistance projects. Its work addressed such subjects as local-government organization, public administration, community development, government finance, annexation, citizen attitudes, growth management, and regional growth issues. The Center also created opportunities for students to move beyond the classroom and participate directly in applied research and public service.

In 1980 the State of Florida created The Florida Institute for Government which tied together centers like The Whitman Center at UWF with every other State university and their government centers.

In 1982 Don Whitman was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, at the time a type of cancer that was rare but not for Vietnam vets. In an interview by Navy doctors they asked if there was anything that may have caused the cancer. He said, “Hell, I was in the Navy for thirty years.” He battled the disease and continued to work at UWF even while being sick after chemo treatments, but he worked as long he could, he just loved the place that much. On April 19, 1989 Donald L. Whitman passed on at the early age of just 61. Weeks prior to his death and with his knowledge the center was renamed, “The Whitman Center for State and Local Government”.

After Whitman’s passing the University of West Florida along with center colleagues and directed by then President Morris Marx in a ceremony on campus at building 50 honored him by officially dedicating the center which he had founded and directed, recognizing his role in its creation, his leadership, and his contributions to UWF and the communities it served. While most centers and institutions in the states university system require a substantial endowment or donation to affix a persons name to it, The Whitman Center was unique in that the honor and memorial was given due to the work that the man did and not a monetary amount paid to the university.

Years later the Whitman Center’s name was changed to The Whitman Center for Public Service and continued to serve UWF and the community. For a time it was combined with the Hass Center but somehow it lost its direction. After twenty years of outstanding work the university board of trustees dissolved The Whitman Center in June of 2008.

Whitman family and University President Dr. Moris Marx at the dedication of the Whitman Center for State and Local Government. 

Since the demise of the Whitman Center, The University of West Florida on October 2, 2018 honored the legacy of Don Whitman with the creation of the Whitman Fellow and Scholar programs, and in fall of 2026 the new Whitman Government Liaison along with the resurrection of the Donald L. Whitman Memorial Scholarship. With these programs the qualities and ideals that Don Whitman lived and worked by will not just be known by others but will be put back into action. The award recipients have a great opportunity to make an impact. Today that legacy is entering a new era, the Whitman programs are expanding across the university, carrying forward principles of integrity, leadership, scholarship, intellectual honesty, mentor-ship, and public service while creating new opportunities to advance UWF students, faculty, graduate students, administrators, the community, and future generations.

Don Whitman was a rare breed who was larger than life, he was utterly honest yet unselfish, a man of integrity and class, if you ever met him you would realize those qualities in about two seconds. He was always there for family, friends, colleagues, and students. He was a trusted consultant to professionals and politicians all over, always giving all an unbiased assessment of the facts. I recall one of his graduate students saying “Firm but fair” in a sympathy card and many others who said he changed their lives for the better. Without a doubt he was the “BMOC”, while bringing his “Fighter Pilot mentality” to his work at UWF.

Don Whitman’s story is the story of a modest, self-made American who served his country and his community and made a difference in both. His thirty-year career as a Naval Aviator was followed not by retirement from service, but by another career devoted to education, students, government, and the community he called home. The work he did at the University of West Florida is a testimony not only to Don Whitman, but also to the university that gave him the opportunity to put his experience and ideals back into public service.

Don Whitman would have considered much of this attention excessive. He was far more interested in the work than in receiving credit for it. Congratulations to the recipients of the Whitman awards, know that Don Whitman would be pleased with your hard work to earn these titles but it does not end here. It’s one thing to earn it, it’s another thing to keep it going. So take heed one of his favorite sayings.

“If you can’t take a joke, you shouldn’t join up!”

Don Whitman, circa 1988.

The Whitman family expresses its sincere gratitude to The University of West Florida and it’s office of advancement for recognizing the need to preserve and advance Don Whitman's legacy through the Whitman Fellow, Scholar, Government Liaison, and Memorial Scholarship programs. It is our hope that these programs will continue in perpetuity to inspire future generations of students, faculty, administrators, and future public servants to uphold the Whitman principles of integrity, leadership, scholarship, and service that guided Don Whitman’s life while advancing The University of West Florida through his story.

Donald L. Whitman during his years at the University of West Florida. 

This work only scratches the surface of Don Whitman’s life and we have tried to present this narrative biography as accurately as possible. In some instances of his military record we relied on his log books, other military records, and that of his own accounting. Some of his exploits were taken from fellow shipmates who are no longer with us while other events were classified and there was no record. 

Narrative by Mark Whitman with military biography provided by Donald H. Whitman