Donald Norton Yates (November 25, 1909 – August 28, 1993) was the US Army Air Force officer who helped select June 6, 1944 as the date for D-Day, the Allied invasion of Europe, in his capacity as chief meteorologist on General Dwight D. Eisenhower's staff.

Yates and his British counterpart, James Martin Stagg, chose well – it turned out to be the only day that month the English Channel could have been successfully crossed.

He went on to the U.S. Military Academy, graduating in 1931, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Cavalry, departing immediately for pilot training at Kelly Field, Texas.

In February 1944, Col. Yates became director of weather service for the U.S. Strategic Air Force in Europe, in addition, serving on General Eisenhower's staff.

The citation accompanying his award of the U.S. Army Legion of Merit stated that "through Colonel Yates' good judgment, skill and sound leadership, reconciliation of the differences in forecasting methods were effected, resulting in the development of a procedure capable of utilizing the talents and facilities of both nations (U.S. and U.K.) and all services in a unified manner.

in 1960 Yates was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and appointed deputy director of defense research & engineering (ranges and space ground support) at the Pentagon.

[7] Yates was made a chevalier of the Legion of Honour for his contribution to D-Day invasion planning and also awarded the Croix de Guerre with palm by France.