Air Force vet honored today in Eureka
Name: Donald Biasca Service branch: Air Force This month’s recipient of the Humboldt Hero is Donald Biasca.
Don Biasca was born in Eureka in the “Old General Hospital” in March 1931 to Mose and Eugenia Biasca, the sixth of nine children. He was raised in the Elk River area, went to Jones Prairie grammar school and graduated from Eureka High in 1949.
During his senior year after school, Biasca worked at Tony Gosselin International Harvester Co. on Broadway, earning enough to purchase his first car. Since he was going to be drafted, he and his best friend went down and enlisted in the Air Force. They served from January 1951 to December 1953.
While in the service, Don trained in auto mechanics. He served with the 509th Bomber Wing while in New Mexico. In March 1953, he was shipped to South Korea and attached to the 919th Engineering Company in an Army-run unit. It was called the S.C.A.R.W.A.F. (Special Category Army Personnel with Air Force) and they backed up the Sea Bees and built an airstrip for the Marines. This base was at K-6 at Peontek, and he served there for one year.
After returning to the states, he married Allene Sears, and the couple will celebrate their 69th wedding anniversary this April. They spent ninr months in Charleston, West Virginia, and after his honorable discharge, they returned home to Eureka just in time to feel the big earthquake Dec. 20, 1954.
During the next six years, Biasca worked at Brizard Matthews Caterpillar and the Biascas welcomed three children into the family: Russ; Ron; and Donna.
Biasca saw an opportunity to open a rental business under a franchise, and United Rent-All of Eureka was born in 1961. After a few years, they went independent and changed the name to Don’s Rent-All. It was truly a place where you could rent anything, and they later spun off the medical equipment business to create Broadway Medical Service and the party goods business and created The Party Place. All three stores are still in operation under the ownership of family members.
After retirement, Biasca took a course at the College of the Redwoods on woodworking. He started Intarsia woodworking, the art of creating a mosaic
like picture from pieces of wood, and never stopped. He spends about six hours every day working in his shop.
Don and Allene are both active members in the Korean War Veterans Redwood Chapter 176 in Eureka. Biasca is past treasurer, past vice president, and past president twice. Allene Biasca is serving as secretary.
“Humboldt Heroes” normally honors local veterans the last Friday of the month. If you’d like to nominate a local veteran for recognition, or help sponsor the ongoing program, call State Farm insurance agent Scott Hammond at 707-4442504.