Don Hakenson was born in Washington DC, but lived practically his entire life in Fairfax County, Virginia.   Don is a Vietnam era Air Force veteran and retired from the federal government on February 3, 2008 after working 37 years for the Department of the Army as a civilian.   Don was the Director for the U.S. Army & Joint Services Records Research Center for his last 19 years and had been with the same agency for 27 consecutive years.  Don's agency was responsible for researching U.S. military combat unit records (daily journals, operational reports-lessons learned, unit histories, unit chronologies, Navy deck logs etc.) for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) claims, and Agent Orange inquiries for Air Force, Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps veterans that served in World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other military contingency operations around the world.  This led Don to visit and assess various military federal records repositories all around the World and the National Archives and Records Administration, in Washington DC and College Park, Maryland.

     During Don’s civilian service he was awarded the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army’s Award for Meritorious Service, two Department of the Army Commander’s Awards, the Superior Civilian Service Award and upon his retirement he was presented with the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, which is the Department of the Army’s second highest commendation.

     Outside of the Army, Don has spent countless years researching obscure Civil War incidents and sites in Fairfax County, especially regarding the Confederate guerilla chieftain Colonel John S. Mosby and his rangers.  For over a decade Don has conducted Mosby & Fairfax County Civil War bus tours for the Stuart-Mosby Historical Society; the Franconia Museum; and other Civil War related organizations inside and outside of the State of Virginia. 

      Don is the past President for the Stuart-Mosby Historical Society, is a current board member of that organization and served as a History Commissioner for Lee District in Fairfax County for five years.   Don is also a founder and a member on the board of directors for the Franconia Museum and is a Civil War advisor for the Mosby Foundation, in Warrenton, Virginia and for the Friends of Laura Ratcliffe, in Herndon, Virginia.   Additionally, Don is a well sought out speaker and has given various history presentations to countless civil war, historical and civic organizations around the entire State of Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.   Lastly, Don has published five books related to the Civil War, and many articles on Mosby, and the Civil War history around Franconia and Fairfax County in various newsletters, magazines and newspapers.  Additionally, he has edited various history publications and has provided insight and recommendations for other authors seeking publication.

     Furthermore, Don’s manuscript, “This Forgotten Land,” was the recipient of the 2001 Nan Netherton award presented by the Fairfax County History Commission.  Don also published three other books about Colonel John S. Mosby and his men and authored two Civil War related stories that were selected for publication in the book, “Franconia Remembers, Volume IV.”

    Don had two great-great grandfathers who served in the Confederate Cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia. Don also had various cousins and uncles that served in the 43^rd Battalion of Virginia Cavalry or Mosby’s Rangers.