Per Doc's wishes, a private family service was held. Market data provided by Factset. can stop at any time. PearlHarbor.Org is a privately owned website and is not owned or operated by, nor affiliated with, a Government Agency. Mr. Strattons life was recently chronicled in the New York Times Best Seller, All the Gallant Men. Despite the horror he experienced aboard Arizona, he spent the next year itching to return to the Navy. Donald passed away last week at age 97. Enter your email below to receive a grief support message from us each day for a year. Reveille sounded at 5:30 the morning of Dec. 7. The family has entrusted Seederly-Mong & Beck Funeral Home in North Lima, Ohio with the arrangements for their loved one. Donald was born July 14, 1922 in Invale Nebraska and grew up in Red Cloud, Nebraska. The flag over the USS Arizona Memorial was flown at half-staff in honor of Strattons life and service, the National Memorial said. Red Cloud, Nebraska 68970, Phone 402-746-2500 They were all yelling and pointing toward Ford Island, he said. There were "people over on the Arizona that were trying to get off, and there was fire all around," he said. My heart goes out for the families, as well as all those who sacrificed for their great country so I could be writing this right now! 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. As he had ignored a direct order, it wasnt until Stratton and the others spoke up that he was awarded with a Bronze Star in 2017. Services Sunday . Wittmer said the procession included other groups besides the Patriot Guard, including American Legion riders. They pulled a heavier line over and one by one began to climb across the gap separating the two ships. At first, the Navy wouldn't allow Donald to re-enlist due to his medical discharge, however he proved them wrong by going through boot camp a second time. In addition to his parents, Donald is preceded in death by his sisters Martha Hickman and Carol Orr. Joseph Donald Stratton, 65, passed away on December 2, 2021 in Memphis, TN. The family will receive visitors 3 - 6 P.M. Saturday, April. BOARDMAN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) - Donald Allen Stratton, 86, of Poland, passed away on Thursday, November 25, 2021 at Mercy Health Center in Boardman, surrounded by his family. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. Following the service, the Colorado Springs Police Department escorted the family and the casket. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. This image is an artists recreation of the burns Donald suffered during Pearl Harbor. AboutPressCopyrightContact. CNN Donald Stratton, a survivor of the USS Arizona, died February 15, according to a statement from the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning. Find an Obituary. Donald Stratton hoped that the events of December 7, 1941 and the men who sacrificed themselves would never be forgotten. 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. Donald was a faithful member of Mount Olivet United Church of Christ for over 60 years. He was 97. A motorcyclist escorting the body of Pearl Harbor survivor Donald Stratton to his hometown in Nebraska died in a crash Saturday in Kansas, authorities said. Dave began his. In 2017, Stratton, Bruner and Potts met at the Pentagon with the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, secretary of defense and chief of naval operations to honor George. He participated in six more invasions aboard the USS Stack. All the while these men were dodging enemy bullets that were cutting everything around them to shreds, including their fellow sailors.". Stratton was a machinist at Morgan Engineering Co. where he had been employed since 1940. . Born in Bath, NY, he lived in Camillus for more than 15 years. Donald was born March 18, 1935 in Boardman, a son of James Allen and Ruth (Craig) Stratton. He is survived by a niece, Catherine Vetterly and husband Tom of New Jersey, two great nephews; Brad (Lyndsey) and Brett (Kristin) Vetterly, and two great great nephews; Max and Milo Vetterly, and one great great niece, Mia Vetterly. The Secretary of the Navy spoke, as well as Senator of Colorado Cory Gardner. 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. At one point in his life, he had no fingerprints as they had all been burned through and off. The average age of a Stratton family member is 72. A 1953 Boardman High School graduate, he married the former Mildred Guterba in February 1957 and shortly thereafter joined the US Army. Stratton was burned over much of his body. The Navy offered him a job as a chief petty officer running recruits through boot camp in Idaho. 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. officiating. The explosion blew apart the forward decks, collapsing turret No. "We are profoundly sad to say that last night, Feb. 15, USS Arizona Survivor Donald Stratton passed away peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his wife of nearly 70 years, Velma, and his son Randy, " Pearl Harbor National Memorial Daniel Martinez, chief historian for the memorial, said, "God bless him and his beloved family. Just over a year later, he found himself in the middle of the devastating Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Enter Donald Gene Stratton, 84 of Fayetteville passed away Thursday, January 26, 2017 at Willard Walker Hospice Home. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our Terms & Conditions. "Thank you for being such a good friend to me. Stratton was a sight setter. He heaved it toward the Arizona. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. Receive a notification when services are updated. He participated in six more invasions aboard the USS Stack. It's a different view from above, but the purpose was the same: honoring one of the remaining few from the Greatest Generation. 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 . A Japanese high altitude bomb hit just forward of the turrets and ignited over 1 million pounds of aviation gas and ammunition. companies with qualified audit opinion. Donald was. "We got hit with the big bomb and that exploded like a million pounds of ammunition. You have permission to edit this article. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. The fireball that engulfed the Arizona lifted the ship over 50 feet out of the water before slamming back down to the sand below. 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 OBITUARY. Both traveled to Washington, D.C., in 2017to meet President Trump in the White House and then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at the Pentagon. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. But to many, he was also a symbol of leadership and character. Later in 2017, the Navy finally awarded George a posthumous Bronze Star with valor, an award many of his supporters said was long overdue. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. Stratton, Bruner and Conter were front and center. "He gave us his words, through 'All the Gallant Men,' that will never be forgottenand you will never be forgotten," said Stratton's son, Randy. Stratton told his own story many times over the years. He stopped at his locker, aft of the No. 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. The Patriot Guard's Wittmer, who lives in Aurora, said the motorcycles apparently crashed into each another. He is survived by his brother Willie and his son Randy Stratton (Kathy) and wife Velma. Sometimes, Japanese pilots attended memorial ceremonies, and some of the other survivors would shake their hands. The Strattons knew they had to right that wrong. 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. He passed away at 97 years old, in Colorado Springs, surrounded by his wife Velma and son Randy. | Theme: Fairy by Candid Themes. All Rights Reserved.Funeral Home Website by Batesville | Funeral Planning and Grief Resources. Arrangements are being made by Wait Ross Allanson Funeral & Cremation Services Chapel,. But the flames found us, catching us all on fire, burning off our clothes, our hair, our skin.". Stratton received burns over 65% of his body. The bow sagged. Just as he saw it begin, Stratton saw the war end. On the morning of December 7, 1941, six sailors were rescued from the burning and sinking USS Arizona (BB-39) by Joe George, a crew member of the repair ship USS Vestal (AR-4). This was their way out, hand over hand across 70 feet of ropeabove a burning oil slick. If desired, contributions can be made to the American Heart Association, 444 Liberty Ave #1300, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. A motorcyclist escorting the body of Pearl Harbor survivor Donald Stratton to his hometown in Nebraska died in a crash Saturday in Kansas, authorities said. Don worked for Rohrer Engineering and retired from Forester Systems in 2000. Donald was predeceased by his daughter, Donna Stratton; parents, Robert and Ida Stratton; and brother, Robert Stratton Jr. Nikki Stratton Send Email, [fts_facebook type=page id=289485248175495 access_token=EAAP9hArvboQBAEi1R1HgHwQjvEYQNPEGpuPOABmjB9K4EBjkJe4hgR8vKFO73Y68qsB12SciZCXlQUKqM3Bo6j0aRaBTttEAZCTmmbAbnArwdMNWflcFJf4ojDXaid7TYrrnDXwP4IbFjzO9kuPtRRZBhNJF1fBwO7xY4aysvP6KidXpvYQGzElcSOgZCY4ZD posts=10 height=800px description=no posts_displayed=page_only]. 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. With the Pearl Harbor attack long behind him, Stratton and the others who owed their lives to Joe George began a campaign to have the Vestal crew member honored. As long as there be war, I must answer Am I worth dying for?. A friendship between the two began in 2016. Minutes later, the heaving line secured to the tower, the six men climbed down the rope to the Vestal. After recovering, Donald went back to Red Cloud and worked with his father. 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. Born July 14, 1922, Donald Stratton grew up in Red Cloud, NE. Donald J. Stratton, Sr. March 14, 1928 March 4, 2019. . The attack on Dec. 7, 1941, attack killed 1,177 sailors and Marines on the mighty battleship, sparing 335. What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative? Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com. What we were doing is a thing for respect of an American hero, so it was our honor to be there for it, he said. Donald J. Donald Stratton, a son of Donald and Doris (Sletten) Stratton, was born in Bottineau on April 4, 1950. The water before slamming back down to the American Heart Association, 444 Liberty Ave # 1300 Pittsburgh! 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