Before George extended a lifeline to the men on the Arizona, he had been using an axe to cut the mooring lines. "I'll come out every year I can until I'm gone.". After spending over a year in the hospital recovering, Donald re-enlisted in the US Navy as WWII was still raging. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Jessie, daughters Gypsy Dawn and Roxane Jo and son Robert, brother Daryl and sister Norma and great grandson DJ. With his death, only two survivors remain from the last crew of the USS Arizona: Lou Conter, 98, of Grass Valley, California, and Ken Potts, 98, of Provo, Utah. We found his family living in Arkansas, but Joe passed in the early 90s. The couple was married for 69 years where they travelled the world and grew a beautiful family. The war hero was able to live a long life. The explosion lifted the ship out of the water. Born in Bath, NY, he lived in Camillus for more than 15 years. He was the best dad in the whole wide world. We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time. "I'm very grateful. DONALD STRATTON - Prince Frederick, Maryland , Sewell Funeral Home - Memories wall BROUGHT TO YOU BY Sewell Funeral Home DONALD JAY STRATTON Prince Frederick, Maryland October 6, 1956 - December 5, 2018 Share Obituary: Tribute Wall Obituary & Events Share a memory Send Flowers Share a memory of DONALD JAY STRATTON. No services are scheduled at this time. Donald Stratton, one of the last USS Arizona survivors from Pearl Harbor who fought for the recognition of one of his heroic shipmates, died Saturday night in his sleep, his granddaughter told Fox News. He quietly departed this life Saturday, February 15, 2020 in his Colorado Springs, CO home alongside his wife and son. Stratton could not. I will always miss you. For Stratton, Bruner and the four other men, salvation appeared in the form of Joe George, a sailor and boxer on the Vestal. After the war, he returned home for a while, but he felt the call of the sea again and went to work on an oil ship off California. PAYMENT CENTER Click here to make a payment. Share their story and never forget those who gave all for our great country.. If youre in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our Terms & Conditions. Hundreds honor Donald Stratton on ground, in air, and on motorcycle for funeral, Persons of interest identified after 2 juveniles shot and killed in Falcon, New details released following shootout with suspect and El Paso County deputies near Colorado Springs, Parent speaks out against Woodland Park 6th grade changes, WATCH - Penrose Library reopened, deemed safe following further testing for meth residue. Donald retired from the U.S. Air Force after more than. He passed away at 97 years old, in Colorado Springs, surrounded by his wife Velma and son Randy. All rights reserved. The flag over the USS Arizona Memorial was flown at half-staff in honor of Strattons life and service, the National Memorial said. A magnifying glass. What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative? On December 7th 2016, 76 years later 3 survivors of the USS Arizona gathered on the USS Arizona Memorial the first time ever to present his daughter JoeAnn with his medal. Once he boarded, he was assigned to the port-side anti-aircraft director one of the Arizonas 5 inch guns used for targeting high altitude aircraft. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing. Donald J. A Japanese high altitude bomb hit just forward of the turrets and ignited over 1 million pounds of aviation gas and ammunition. He heaved it toward the Arizona. Stratton and Lauren Bruner, another Arizona survivor, lobbied hard for George to be recognized. He managed to throw a monkeys fist with a heaving line attached over to the men. Reveille sounded at 5:30 the morning of Dec. 7. Stratton and the others snagged it and secured it to the tower. "And to show that he is such a great American and to show our appreciation for his service to our great country.". POLL: How will the Rockies fare this season in the NL West. He was one of the last living survivors of the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Don loved being outdoors and in his beloved hobby shop where he spent countless hours with his son Allen where they would work meticulously on various projects. After WWII ended, he was 100% medically discharged and went on to work with deep sea divers and oil rigs offshore. Stratton died of natural causesin Colorado Springs, Colo., his family said. They fired the guns, but the bombers were too high. The funeral liturgy for Don will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, March 8, 2018 at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 1617 W. Pine Street in Appleton, with Fr. Family and friends are invited to gather at the church on Friday morning from 9:00 AM until the . Donald and 5 others climbed hand over hand across the water all already burned, 70 feet including the slope up to the Vestal deck. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. As long as there be war, I must answer Am I worth dying for?. Finally, he was given a medical discharge and returned to Nebraska. UNION COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - Elementary school student Landon Knestrick is about to get on plane to fly to Colorado to speak at the funeral of 97-year-old World War II veteran Donald Stratton. Don Stratton, who escaped a burning USS Arizona by making a harrowing hand-over-hand climb across a rope to an adjacent ship on Dec. 7, 1941, died Saturday, leaving just two living survivors of the famed battleship. The fire burned at its highest level at around 8000 degrees, which is about 3 times hotter than lava coming out of the Kilauea volcano. His wife, Velma, and his son, Randy, were with him. The Patriot Guard was founded in 2005 to shield families from protesters, including the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., during funerals for fallen service members. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Stratton will be eulogized at services in Colorado Springs and buried in a family plot in his hometown,Red Cloud, Nebraska. David Kessler's top 4 tips for dealing with holiday grief. All Rights Reserved.Funeral Home Website by Batesville | Funeral Planning and Grief Resources. These were all brave, great men, many of which were still teenagers when this all happened. May 18, 1934 - November 30, 2020. Donald was burned over 65% of his body and escaped the inferno by climbing across a line to a neighboring shipthe USS Vestal. local_floristSEND FLOWERS. Mr. Strattons life was recently chronicled in the New York Times Best Seller, All the Gallant Men. His legacy will forever be cherished in the lives of his grandchildren: Dana Stratton, Kimberly Brewer, Robert Stratton Jr., (Becky), Jessika Caldwell (Tony) and Nicole Stratton. J James December 21, 2018 He participated in six more invasions aboard the USS Stack. cline hanson funeral home obituaries; behinder github; fire kirin download app; starship band members 2022; building a pavilion on a concrete slab; kria kv260. "As they shot through the two openings of the enclosure, we shielded ourselves by taking shelter under some of the equipment, our hands covering our mouths and eyes. Food has always been a go-to for people in mourning. Donald Stratton died late Saturday at his home in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Obituaries Section. The battleship shuddered as another explosion, the most powerfulyet, cracked its hull. PHOENIX Through the soles of his shoes, Donald Stratton could feel the heat from the platform where he stood on the wounded USS Arizona. His memoir, All the Gallant Men, detailed the Pearl Harbor attack, including the injuries he suffered, the heroism of Joe George, his recovery, and his return to war. One motorcyclist, a 45-year-old man had minor injuries, and the other, a 46-year-old man had serious but non life-threatening injuries, Lewis said. Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love. "Our grandfather has just been involved in every aspect of our life," said Nikki Stratton, Don's youngest granddaughter. Barely 10 minutes into the attack, a bomb pierced the forward deck and buried itself in the Arizonas ammunition stores. After spending over a year in the hospital recovering, Donald re-enlisted in the US Navy as WWII was still raging. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. CNN Donald Stratton, a survivor of the USS Arizona, died February 15, according to a statement from the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jesse and Nellie Stratton; and 13 siblings. Family flowers only, donations, if desired may be given for Stroke Association, by retiring . Don was with the Army from 1959 to 1962, during which he was a radio relay and carrier operator. juniper vlan tagging vs trunking. I looked over and seen the water tower go over. As he attempted to direct the 5-inch guns, the bombers swooped in on the ship and her crew. You can unsubscribe at any time. He met up with the Arizona while it was in dry dock in Bremerton Washington. It indicates, "Click to perform a search". The license plate readUSS ARIZ, and amural on a white bed cover depicted the USS Arizona and the memorial that floats above it in Pearl Harbor. Joe served in the United States Army Special Forces after serving our country as an airborne medic. ". Six men huddled on the port side fire control tower, burned badly, trapped as the ship sank in the shallow waters near Honolulu that day, Dec. 7, 1941. It's a different view from above, but the purpose was the same: honoring one of the remaining few from the Greatest Generation. 2023 Williams Funeral Homes. We're enthusiastic about keeping you informed about the fascinating historical significance of Pearl Harbor! This image is an artists recreation of the burns Donald suffered during Pearl Harbor. Average Age & Life Expectancy Donald Richard Stratton lived exactly as long as the average Stratton family member when he died at the age of 72. "OnceI made a dive in a two-man submarine, down in over 1,200 feet of water off Santa Barbara coast," he said. Mr. Donald G. Stratton, was born July14, 1922 in Inavale, NE to Robert and Jessie Stratton and upon graduation from high school in Red Cloud, he enlisted in the Navy and was a Seaman First Class aboard the USS Arizona. Born May 18th, 1934, in Freedom, he was a retired engineer for Pittsburgh Gears, a member of the Shriners in Rochester, and was a veteran of the United States Army. Copyright 2009 - 23 Nero Funeral Home. Donald Stratton passed away at age 72 years old on April 9, 2008. There were "people over on the Arizona that were trying to get off, and there was fire all around," he said. Donald Stratton died in his sleep several weeks ago at the age of 97. They fired all 12 guns to the port side of the ship one time and moved us sideways in the water 30 or 60 feet or so, said Stratton, who was a Seaman 1st Class by then. Stratton, 97, a Colorado Springs resident, died Feb. 15. Stratton will be eulogized at services in Colorado Springs and buried in a family plot in his hometown, Red Cloud, Nebraska. But, something was missing, he wanted to return to WWII. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Mt. Donald Stratton held many titles: a veteran, a survivor, a hero. Though the USS Arizona survivor could have chosen to be cremated and interred with his former shipmates aboard the sunken battleship, he opted to be buried in the state where he was born. As long as there be war, I must answer Am I worth dying for?. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. debbie.kelley@gazette.com, Homes built by Covington Homes build community, The Girl Scout Cookie Program feeds entrepreneurial and life skills, Slim Chickens spreads its wings and adds second restaurant in Falcon area, Catholic nuns bring awareness with food drive to benefit Westside Cares in Colorado Springs, From seeing to believing, Mesa Ridge basketball's buy-in to new coach created unbeaten season, 3 takeaways from Colorado Avalanche home loss to Devils; Annunen struggles, comeback falls short, LETTERS: Our trails and greenways; depressing and a disgrace, Don't miss out get to Julies Kitchen in Colorado Springs early | Dining review, A game of chess? Pearl Harbor survivorDonald Stratton, seen here in a recent photo, died Saturday. Stratton watched as the sailor waved off another man on the deck and struggled witha line. PEARL HARBOR HERO RECOGNIZED 76 YEARS AFTER SAVING 6 FROM SINKING USS ARIZONA, Recollections from George himself ultimately emerged; he spoketo the University of North Texas in 1978 for an oral history documenting the attack. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. On December 7, 1941, the United States suffered devastating losses On the morning of December 7, 1941, six sailors were To stay up to date on the latest information about Pearl Harbor, please follow us! Donald upheld their legacy and honored the men that perished that day by honoring the Lord, honoring his country and striving to remember all the gallant men. "Thank you for being such a good friend to me. Bored of the routine, he went into the commercial diving business, traveling the world. AboutPressCopyrightContact. Randy and his mother were with Stratton when he died Saturday. It was quite a sight for an old flatlander like me to see a 35,000-ton battleship out of the water, he said. Sign up for service and obituary updates. After recovering, Donald went back to Red Cloud and worked with his father. USS Arizona survivor and World War II veteran Donald Stratton's funeral started at 10 a.m.., and hundreds showed up to pay their respects, even in mid-air. To offer your sympathy during this difficult time, you can now have memorial trees planted in a National Forest in memory of your loved one. They moved back to California briefly and then settled in Colorado Springs. Donald was a faithful member of Mount Olivet United Church of Christ for over 60 years. Stateside duty, pushing all those recruits through boot, just wasnt for me.. Rights Reserved.Funeral home website by Batesville | Funeral Planning and grief Resources some basic help and when! The Arizona, he enjoyed hunting and fishing Randy and his mother were him. During which he was the best dad in the New York Times best,! 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