Vice Admiral Donald B. Duncan (1896-1975) was an officer of the United States Navy, who played an important role in aircraft-carrier operations during World War II.

In 1941, he was the first commander of the USS Long Island, the Navy's first escort aircraft carrier.

As the air operations officer to Admiral Ernest J. King, Duncan assisted with the planning for the Doolittle Raid, and was the one who proposed the use of both the B-25 Mitchell bombers and the Hornet (CV-8) for the raid. He was then appointed to be the first commanding officer of the carrier Essex (CV-9).

Duncan held several important staff and operational positions following the war. He served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air) from 6 March 1947 to 20 January 1948. He commanded the 2nd Task Fleet after 1948, and was the Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1951 to 1956.

References

An oral history recorded in 1964 is in the Butler Library at Columbia University.