Donie served in a tank battalion (781st) that was in combat at Sessenheim.  It appears he was in battle on January 19, 1945 when whatever happened to him took place, but death is officially listed as January 31, 1945.  There is conflicting information on him dying of wounds or as missing in action.  His tombstone is at the Catholic Cemetery at Trinidad; however since there is no photo of it, there is no way of  knowing whether he is actually buried there or if it's a cenotaph.   We believe it is a grave as findagrave.com shows a flat head stone being ordered for him.

He may have family living in the Denver metro area today.  Reading the obituary notice of his brother Onecimo (who served in the Navy) at https://www.kmitch.com/Pueblo/obits/3b.html , Donie was the son of Cleofus and Sasirita, brother of Clarita (who applied for his tombstone) and Onecimo J. "Oney" Blea.  Not mentioned here is another sister, Annie, who is revealed by the 1930 United States Census.  At that time the family was living in New Mexico, where Donie was born in 1924.  Also revealed there is that his nickname was Don.