Donn F. Draeger
Encyclopedia
Donald 'Donn' Frederick Draeger (April 15, 1922 – October 20, 1982) was an expert practitioner of Asian martial arts
, an author of several martial arts books, and a United States Marine
. Draeger was widely known and respected in the martial arts community, and was a leading martial arts researcher.
Throughout his life, Draeger was known by his nickname 'Donn.' He held the rank of Captain during peacetime and Major
during wartime in the Marine Corps. Draeger's tombstone reflects his peacetime rank of Captain. He spent several decades of his life in the Pacific area and Japan, becoming well acquainted with several classical martial arts of the region. Today, he is probably best known for his martial arts scholarship.
Draeger began his involvement in the martial arts in the Chicago at the age of 7. His first training was in jujutsu
, but he soon changed to judo
and became so proficient that he achieved the rank of 2nd kyu
(not far below the first black belt
level) by age 10. By adulthood, Draeger stood 6' 2" (188 cm) tall and weighed between 195 and 215 pounds (88 and 97 kg).
. He fought in the Pacific Theater
during World War II
. Nurse considered it "a virtual certainty that Draeger was on Iwo Jima during the celebrated February–March 1945 battle that saw almost 26,000 American casualties and more than 22,000 Japanese killed." Draeger also served his country during the Korean War
where he was promoted to Major, but later reverted to his permanent rank of Captain.
By 1948, Draeger was ranked 4th dan
in judo. He co-founded the first national judo body, the Amateur Judo Association in the United States. He played an active role in the establishment of the Judo Black Belt Federation (JBBF), which later became the United States Judo Federation
(USJF).
Nurse relates that Draeger was once married, and had a son, but little more is known of his personal life.
Draeger lived in Japan, China, Mongolia, Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia. One of the books he wrote is Javanese Silat: The Fighting Art of Perisai Diri (Paperback - Mar 1979). In 1979, Draeger and his team visited the island of Sumatra
. While visiting the Aceh
tribe there, it appears that the entire group was somehow poisoned, perhaps deliberately. As a result, he developed severe amoebic dysentery, leading to hospitalization. Draeger began losing weight and he grew increasingly weak during this ordeal. His legs began to swell, causing him great pain, and he found it difficult to walk or train. His long devotion to martial arts training came to a gradual halt.
While he was getting treatment at Tripler Army Medical Center
in Honolulu, it was discovered that he had developed cancer of the liver. He died on October 20, 1982, at the Veteran's Hospital in Milwaukee, from metastasized carcinoma.
Draeger was buried at Wood National Cemetery
in Milwaukee on October 25. His grave lies in Section 4, site 377.
Draeger wrote many books on the martial arts. The books he wrote came to be recognized as some of the most reliable sources available in the English language. Shotokan karate master Masatoshi Nakayama was one of Draeger's well-known co-authors. Draeger's published works include:
Apart from scholarship, Draeger also worked briefly in film. He served as Martial Arts Coordinator for the James Bond
film You Only Live Twice
, where he also doubled for Sean Connery
.
Draeger vitalized the academic field of study called hoplology
when he founded the International Hoplology Society (IHS) in the late 1950s. Robert W. Smith, a long-time friend and co-author, recounted specific stories and anecdotes about Draeger in his book, Martial Musings.
Draeger continued his practice of the martial arts throughout his life. He studied with many Asian masters, partly as a result of being stationed in the Pacific Rim during his tenure in the US Marine Corps, and partly through living in Japan for more than a decade. Draeger was a member of Nihon Kobudo Shinkokai, the oldest Japanese cultural organization for the study and preservation of classical martial arts
. He was also the first non-Japanese practitioner of Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū
, achieving instructor status (kyoshi menkyo) in that system. He also held high ranks in Shindo Muso-ryu jodo, in judo
, and in kendo
, being awarded the highest rank of menkyo kaiden in Shindo Muso-ryu posthumously.
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
, an author of several martial arts books, and a United States Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. Draeger was widely known and respected in the martial arts community, and was a leading martial arts researcher.
Throughout his life, Draeger was known by his nickname 'Donn.' He held the rank of Captain during peacetime and Major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
during wartime in the Marine Corps. Draeger's tombstone reflects his peacetime rank of Captain. He spent several decades of his life in the Pacific area and Japan, becoming well acquainted with several classical martial arts of the region. Today, he is probably best known for his martial arts scholarship.
Biography
Early life
Draeger was born on April 15, 1922, most likely in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. One biographer, Paul Nurse (writing for Black Belt magazine), notes that little is known of Draeger's family background. As a youth, Draeger would spend his summers living and hunting with the Chippewa people in northern Wisconsin. He became a keen hunter, but would later come to disavow this pastime, only hunting for food or in self-defense.Draeger began his involvement in the martial arts in the Chicago at the age of 7. His first training was in jujutsu
Jujutsu
Jujutsu , also known as jujitsu, ju-jitsu, or Japanese jiu-jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon....
, but he soon changed to judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
and became so proficient that he achieved the rank of 2nd kyu
Kyu
is a Japanese term used in martial arts, chadō, ikebana, go, shogi such as Japanese traditional culture, and academic tests and in other similar activities to designate various grades or levels or class of proficiency or experience...
(not far below the first black belt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
level) by age 10. By adulthood, Draeger stood 6' 2" (188 cm) tall and weighed between 195 and 215 pounds (88 and 97 kg).
Career
Draeger joined the US Marine Corps at the age of 15, during the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. He fought in the Pacific Theater
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Nurse considered it "a virtual certainty that Draeger was on Iwo Jima during the celebrated February–March 1945 battle that saw almost 26,000 American casualties and more than 22,000 Japanese killed." Draeger also served his country during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
where he was promoted to Major, but later reverted to his permanent rank of Captain.
By 1948, Draeger was ranked 4th dan
Dan (rank)
The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...
in judo. He co-founded the first national judo body, the Amateur Judo Association in the United States. He played an active role in the establishment of the Judo Black Belt Federation (JBBF), which later became the United States Judo Federation
United States Judo Federation
The United States Judo Federation is a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting judo in the United States. Its national office is located in Ontario, Oregon. In 2007 it will sanction competitions and tournaments in at least nine different states....
(USJF).
Nurse relates that Draeger was once married, and had a son, but little more is known of his personal life.
Later life
In his later years, Draeger spent four months a year on field trips throughout Asia. While on these trips, he visited schools and studied combative methods, which he analyzed and recorded. These studies were sometimes published as articles in various martial arts magazines, or put into books.Draeger lived in Japan, China, Mongolia, Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia. One of the books he wrote is Javanese Silat: The Fighting Art of Perisai Diri (Paperback - Mar 1979). In 1979, Draeger and his team visited the island of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
. While visiting the Aceh
Aceh
Aceh is a special region of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Its full name is Daerah Istimewa Aceh , Nanggroë Aceh Darussalam and Aceh . Past spellings of its name include Acheh, Atjeh and Achin...
tribe there, it appears that the entire group was somehow poisoned, perhaps deliberately. As a result, he developed severe amoebic dysentery, leading to hospitalization. Draeger began losing weight and he grew increasingly weak during this ordeal. His legs began to swell, causing him great pain, and he found it difficult to walk or train. His long devotion to martial arts training came to a gradual halt.
While he was getting treatment at Tripler Army Medical Center
Tripler Army Medical Center
Tripler Army Medical Center is the headquarters of the Pacific Regional Medical Command of the armed forces administered by the United States Army in the State of Hawaii. It is the largest military hospital in the Asian and Pacific Rim region and serves a military sphere of jurisdiction that spans...
in Honolulu, it was discovered that he had developed cancer of the liver. He died on October 20, 1982, at the Veteran's Hospital in Milwaukee, from metastasized carcinoma.
Draeger was buried at Wood National Cemetery
Wood National Cemetery
Wood National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, it had 37,661 interments. It is closed to new interments.- History :A part of the Clement J...
in Milwaukee on October 25. His grave lies in Section 4, site 377.
Achievements
- Judo Training Methods : A Sourcebook, with Takahiko Ishikawa, The Charles E. Tuttle Co., 1961
- Javanese Silat: The Fighting Art of Perisai Diri by Quintin Chambers and Donn F. Draeger (Paperback - Mar 1979)
- ShaoLin Lohan Kung-Fu with co-author P'ng Chye Kim (from Penang, Malaysia, 1979) www.saolimcanada.com (ISBN 978-0-8048-1698-4)
- Pentjak-Silat The Indonesian Fighting Art, Kodansha International Ltd,1970
- Asian Fighting Arts (with Robert W. Smith), Kodansha International, 1969; re-titled Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts upon republication, 1980 (ISBN 978-0870114366)
- Classical Bujutsu : Martial Arts And Ways Of Japan, Vol I., Weatherhill, 1973, 1996
- Classical Budo: Martial Arts And Ways Of Japan, Vol II., Weatherhill, 1973, 1996
- Modern Bujutsu & Budo: Martial Arts And Ways Of Japan, Vol III., Weatherhill, 1974, 1996
- Japanese Swordsmanship : Technique And Practice (with Gordon WarnerGordon WarnerDr. Gordon Warner is an authority on the Japanese art of kendo.Dr. Warner is also a former Marine Officer and WWII veteran of the Pacific Campaign...
), Weatherhill, 1982 - The Weapons and Fighting Arts of Indonesia (ISBN 978-0804817165)
- Phoenix-Eye Fist: A Shaolin Fighting Art of South China
- Shantung Black Tiger: A Shaolin Fighting Art of North China (with Leo Budiman Prakarsa and Quintin T. G. Chambers), Weatherhill, 1976 (ISBN 978-0834801226)
- Judo Formal Techniques: A Complete Guide to Kodokan Randori No Kata
- Ninjutsu: The Art of Invisibility, Japan's Feudal Age Espionage Methods, Lotus Press, 1977; Phoenix Books, 1994
Apart from scholarship, Draeger also worked briefly in film. He served as Martial Arts Coordinator for the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film You Only Live Twice
You Only Live Twice (film)
You Only Live Twice is the fifth spy film in the James Bond series, and the fifth to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's screenplay was written by Roald Dahl, and loosely based on Ian Fleming's 1964 novel of the same name...
, where he also doubled for Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
.
Draeger vitalized the academic field of study called hoplology
Hoplology
Hoplology is a science that studies human combative behavior and performance. The word hoplology is derived from the Greek terms hoplos and hoplite, the term for the classical Greek warrior...
when he founded the International Hoplology Society (IHS) in the late 1950s. Robert W. Smith, a long-time friend and co-author, recounted specific stories and anecdotes about Draeger in his book, Martial Musings.
Draeger continued his practice of the martial arts throughout his life. He studied with many Asian masters, partly as a result of being stationed in the Pacific Rim during his tenure in the US Marine Corps, and partly through living in Japan for more than a decade. Draeger was a member of Nihon Kobudo Shinkokai, the oldest Japanese cultural organization for the study and preservation of classical martial arts
Koryu
is a Japanese word that is used in association with the ancient Japanese martial arts. This word literally translates as "old school" or "traditional school"...
. He was also the first non-Japanese practitioner of Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū
Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu
is one of the oldest extant Japanese martial arts, and an exemplar of koryū bujutsu. The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū was founded by Iizasa Ienao, born 1387 in Iizasa village , who was living near Katori Shrine at the time...
, achieving instructor status (kyoshi menkyo) in that system. He also held high ranks in Shindo Muso-ryu jodo, in judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, and in kendo
Kendo
, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...
, being awarded the highest rank of menkyo kaiden in Shindo Muso-ryu posthumously.
External links
- Donn F. Draeger bibliography in EJMAS Journal
- Donn Draeger: An Excerpt from Martial Musings by Robert W. Smith
- findagrave.com entry for Donn F. Draeger