By early 1941, the Arizona had steamed down the coast and put in at Pearl Harbor. It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning. The family has entrusted Seederly-Mong & Beck Funeral Home in North Lima, Ohio with the arrangements for their loved one. We should never forget what these guys did for us, Randy said Sunday from Colorado Springs. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Tuesday, September 23 at 11 a.m. in St. Joseph's Church. In the Army, you were crawling around in the mud and everything else, and I didnt want to do that.. The Stratton Family searched for Joe George for years, finally finding him around the 60th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor. 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. They pulled a heavier line over and one by one began to climb across the gap separating the two ships. Though George had been ordered to sever the line with Arizona, he kept the two ships tied together and threw a line to the men aboard the doomed battleship. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Lois Stratton; children, Debra (Ronny) Suy, Dawn (Bill) Schultz, Dan (Terri) Stratton and Dave (Tina) Stratton; grandchildren, Kelly (Joel), Teri (Kris), Chris (Melissa), Jaysen (Jesse Finally, he was given a medical discharge and returned to Nebraska. Donald Stratton, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store. To send flowers Donald Stratton, a son of Donald and Doris (Sletten) Stratton, was born in Bottineau on April 4, 1950. 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. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. They moved back to California briefly and then settled in Colorado Springs. But I'm grateful more or less for the 1,117 men that we lost that day on the Arizona," Stratton said in an interview with KKTV in 2018. Velma passed away exactly three months to day Donald was buried as she couldnt be separated from her lifes long love. Barely 10 minutes into the attack, a bomb pierced the forward deck and buried itself in the Arizonas ammunition stores. Numerous flags and people were lined along the route to honor the veteran as the motorcade passed through. Per Docs wishes, a private family service was held.Donald Stratton, a son of Donald and Doris (Sletten) Stratton, was born in Bottineau on April 4, 1950. At one point in his life, he had no fingerprints as they had all been burned through and off. They had four children, two of which passed before they were just 5 days old, and 2 boys Robert and Randy. Donald Stratton Obituary With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Donald Stratton (Red Cloud, Nebraska), born in Inavale, Nebraska, who passed away on February 15, 2020 at the age of 97. Stratton, 97, a Colorado Springs resident, died Feb. 15. "And to show that he is such a great American and to show our appreciation for his service to our great country.". Donald Stratton. Enter Flint Journal Homepage. 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Donald was burned over 65% of his body and escaped the inferno by climbing across a line to a neighboring shipthe USS Vestal. Donald Stratton as a young sailor in 1940. On the morning of December 7, 1941, a 19-year-old Donald was beckoned to his battle station as the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor sending the Navy's flagship, the USS Arizona to the depths. RED CLOUD, Neb. He is survived by his brother Willie and his son Randy Stratton (Kathy) and wife Velma. The attack on Dec. 7, 1941, attack killed 1,177 sailors and Marines on the mighty battleship, sparing 335. A 1, 760-pound Japanese high-altitude armor-piercing bomb had penetrated the Arizona's decks 40 feet from the bow, igniting a million pounds of gunpowder for the ship's massive 14-inch guns. He was united in holy matrimony to Velma DEtte on April 23, 1950. Donald Stratton was one of the last three remaining survivors of the USS Arizona. Smoke and flames choked the air, but Stratton saw someone moving on a smaller ship that had been tethered to the Arizona. "One thing is for certain : Had Joe George not stood up for us, had he not been a rebel and refused to cut the line connecting the Vestal to the Arizona, we would have been cooked to death, " Stratton wrote. After boot camp, he was sent to the Navy shipyards in Bremerton, Washington, where he got his first look at the Arizona, in dry dock undergoing maintenance and, most people assumed, being fitted for war. In July 2017, Stratton, Bruner and Potts were invited to the White House, where they made their plea to President Donald Trump. Stratton is survived by his brother Willie, his son Randy Stratton, his wife, Velma, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Donald Richard Stratton of Emory, Rains County, Texas was born on March 23, 1936. For Stratton, Bruner and the four other men, salvation appeared in the form of Joe George, a sailor and boxer on the Vestal. 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. The. "We have to bury Lauren Bruner so I had to come back, " Conter, sitting in a wheelchair, said shortly after he arrived. officiating. He met up with the Arizona while it was in dry dock in Bremerton Washington. 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. He quietly departed this life Saturday, February 15, 2020 in his Colorado Springs, CO home alongside his wife and son. He was gifted and talented in being able to design and invent something from scratch. It was 8:06 a.m. on Dec. 7, 1941, when death raced through the USS Arizona, chasing them all. A sailor on the ship, a supply vessel called the USS Vestal, was about to cut the line when he saw the six men on the tower. 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. Donald J. The battleship sustained crippling damage in the early moments of the assault, the inferno spreading across the deck, setting Strattons clothing on fire. In the fall of 1940, he joined the Navy and was stationed aboard USS Arizona, assigned to man an anti-aircraft gun. Family and friends are invited to gather at the church on Friday morning from 9:00 AM until the . your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. After his service to the Navy was finished, he was employed at a diving company and later on an offshore drilling platform. Donald was born March 18, 1935 in Boardman, a son of James Allen and Ruth (Craig) Stratton. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. You will be my forever hero.". "One of the first people to do that.". With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Fairy by Candid Themes. The Colorado Springs man was 97. He was 97. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Donald Stratton to pay them a last tribute. "Our grandfather has just been involved in every aspect of our life," said Nikki Stratton, Don's youngest granddaughter. New downtown Colorado Springs transit center plans updated, councilman calls it a 'boondoggle', Colorado Springs high school student arrested after allegedly bringing loaded gun to school. On February 15, 2020, one of those men, Donald Stratton, passed away after spending years working to gain recognition forthe hero who saved him. J James December 21, 2018 Randy and his mother were with Stratton when he died Saturday. The Stratton men called and wrote letters, telling Georges story to anyone who would listen. Donald Stratton graduated from high school in 1940, a star athlete who needed work during hard times. Other men carrying their wounded buddies to safety, trying desperately to stanch their bleeding. 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. He was born November 17, 1932 in Neosho, Missouri to Elbert Stratton and Olga Sanders-Stratton. We're enthusiastic about keeping you informed about the fascinating historical significance of Pearl Harbor! 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. This image is an artists recreation of the burns Donald suffered during Pearl Harbor. No services are scheduled at this time. Unless you are experienced as an estate executor, you probably should hire an attorney. juniper vlan tagging vs trunking. In his dining room in Colorado Springs, he kept a replica of a diving helmet, the kind divers on his crew used. In time, he tried to let go of his anger toward the Japanese, but he could never forget what happened. 2023 PearlHarbor.Org is under the ownership of Mauka Tours LLC effective May 1, 2021. Sunday afternoon, Red Cloud residents volunteered to set up flags at the Red Cloud cemetery in preparation for the funeral ceremony of Donald Stratton, a sailor who survived. Just as he saw it begin, Stratton saw the war end. In the book, Donald references a poem that was placed in the wallet of Eleanor Roosevelt where it reads, Somehow out there, A man died for me today. Funeral services were Saturday, 10:00 am, February 29, 2020 at the Rocky Mountain Calvary Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Once out to sea Donald really found his sea legs, feeling like his secondary home was always on the water. Flint Journal. Born in Pittston, PA, Donald was the son of the late Jean Watson and Alfred North Stratton, and brother of the late Robert Watson Stratton. Bruner, who also made the climb across the rope with Stratton, died Sept. 10 at age 98. You can unsubscribe at any time. Market data provided by Factset. "We got hit with the big bomb and that exploded like a million pounds of ammunition. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. In an earlier crash, two motorcyclists in the procession after Stratton's memorial at Rocky Mountain Calvary Chapel in Colorado Springs were injured while driving north on Interstate 25. "Plus all the others in all the other wars.". Donald retired from the U.S. Air Force after more than 20 years. 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. 2023 Cappadona Funeral Home The Original Trusted Alternative Funeral Service. Saul-Gabauer Funeral Home & Sylvania Hills Memorial Park, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The Kansas Highway Patrol identified the motorcyclist as 65-year-old Lennie Riedel of Colby, Kan., who lost control of his Harley-Davidson and laid the bike over on Interstate 70. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. "I will never forget you and hope to be more like you as I grow up. POLL: How will the Rockies fare this season in the NL West. Copyright 2009 - 23 Nero Funeral Home. 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. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. 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. Bored of the routine, he went into the commercial diving business, traveling the world. Family flowers only, donations, if desired may be given for Stroke Association, by retiring . A magnifying glass. 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 parents, his wife of 60 years, Mary Stratton and brother, Ed Stratton,. Sign up for service and obituary updates. Market data provided by Factset. Even though Stratton lived in Colorado, and Landon lived in North Carolina, they developed a friendship. The motorcycle landed in the median. The Arizona was on fire and the Japanese were still attacking. Stratton was second to go. 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. Donald Stratton is survived by his wife of 69 years, four children, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will continue to share his stories of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the heroes who emerged that day. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. This article is written by William Cole from The Honolulu Star-Advertiser and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the NewsCred publisher network. Were all just extremely sad, said Randy Wittmer, a member of the Colorado Patriot Guard who attended Strattons funeral but did not ride in the procession following the service. He was 97. "The flames swallowed the foremast where we were, " the Nebraska native said in the book. 2023 Williams Funeral Homes. Stratton was burned over much of his body. All Rights Reserved. Don was with the Army from 1959 to 1962, during which he was a radio relay and carrier operator. Obituaries Section. Read more about the life story of Donald and share your memory. As long as there be war, I must answer Am I worth dying for?. The funeral procession for Donald was something for the history books, rivaling and surpassing that of any past Presidents. 1 some 28 feet and sending a fireball 500 feet into the air. 16 years later, and many many many conversations with Navy Command, the Strattons were able to secure a medal the Bronze Star with Valor to Joe George. On Satuday, Colorado Springs said goodbye to an American hero. We would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. Randy Stratton Click To Call Share their story and never forget those who gave all for our great country.. 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