Donald Thoms Stratton, of Souderton, formerly of Warminster, passed away surrounded by loving family on August 20, 2019 at age 85. He was taken to a hospital. Donald was born March 18, 1935 in Boardman, a son of James Allen and Ruth (Craig) Stratton. Stratton headed for his battle station, a steel cube that housed the controls for 25-caliber anti-aircraft guns. In addition to his parents, Donald is preceded in death by his sisters Martha Hickman and Carol Orr. Don was with the Army from 1959 to 1962, during which he was a radio relay and carrier operator. Olivet Church, and again on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 from 10:00 am until the time of the service. He is survived by his brother Willie and his son Randy Stratton (Kathy) and wife Velma. Stratton could not. The attack on Dec. 7, 1941, attack killed 1,177 sailors and Marines on the mighty battleship, sparing 335. He was the best dad in the whole wide world. There were "people over on the Arizona that were trying to get off, and there was fire all around," he said. Just over a year later, he found himself in the middle of the devastating Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. 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. The Patriot Guard's Wittmer, who lives in Aurora, said the motorcycles apparently crashed into each another. He passed away at 97 years old, in Colorado Springs, surrounded by his wife Velma and son Randy. Velma passed away exactly three months to day Donald was buried as she couldnt be separated from her lifes long love. Mr. Franklin was a 1938 graduate of Osgood High School and was an Army veteran of WWII where he served in the 119th Infantry Regiment and the 30th Infantry Division. "One of Donald's final wishes was that people remember Pearl Harbor and the men aboard the USS Arizona. In an incredible act of courage, Donald and fellow survivor Lauren Bruner were saved by a sailor named Joe George. 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. Donald Stratton died late Saturday at his home in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Agawam - Donald David Stratton, loving husband, father and grandfather, passed away peacefully on February 10, 2015 while vacationing in Montego Bay Jamaica. As he attempted to direct the 5-inch guns, the bombers swooped in on the ship and her crew. He would have died on that platform.. His actions saved the injured Stratton and five of his shipmates. Joseph Donald Stratton, 65, passed away on December 2, 2021 in Memphis, TN. can stop at any time. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. Klaers is the CEO and president of The National WWII Aviation Museum. . To send flowers A year later, he reenlisted. "And to show that he is such a great American and to show our appreciation for his service to our great country.". The family suggests memorial donations may be made in Dons name to the Mt. The war still raged in the Pacific. In his dining room in Colorado Springs, he kept a replica of a diving helmet, the kind divers on his crew used. The best poems for funerals, memorial services., and cards. I looked over and seen the water tower go over. 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. On February 15, 2020, one of those men, Donald Stratton, passed away after spending years working to gain recognition forthe hero who saved him. For Stratton, Bruner and the four other men, salvation appeared in the form of Joe George, a sailor and boxer on the Vestal. Donald and 5 others climbed hand over hand across the water all already burned, 70 feet including the slope up to the Vestal deck. 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. The crew enjoyed their time in Hawaii, playing football on the beach, shore leave, and all the hospitality of the island had to offer. Randy Stratton Click To Call A funeral Mass will be celebrated Tuesday, September 23 at 11 a.m. in St. Joseph's Church. Stratton fought in the invasion of the Philippines, in the invasion of Okinawa, on patrol with radar, reporting the advance of suicide bombers. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com. Share their story and never forget those who gave all for our great country.. Stratton, then a seaman 1st class, described it in his book, "All the Gallant Men, " as a "great sucking sound, like a whoosh " that rocked the ship with concussive force. At 19 years old he enlisted in the US Navy and was then assigned to the USS Arizona. 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. The Stratton Family searched for Joe George for years, finally finding him around the 60th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Conter, who was on the stern of the battleship when the big bomb hit, returned to Pearl Harbor for the most recent Dec. 7 observance, in part to be present for the interment of fellow crew member Lauren Bruner. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. All rights reserved. You will be my forever hero.". He was 97. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Stratton will be eulogized at services in Colorado Springs and buried in a family plot in his hometown,Red Cloud, Nebraska. His eyes met Strattons. officiating. One of Donalds final wishes was that people remember Pearl Harbor and the men aboard the USS Arizona, his wife Velma wrote on Facebook. Market data provided by Factset. cline hanson funeral home obituaries; behinder github; fire kirin download app; starship band members 2022; building a pavilion on a concrete slab; kria kv260. The Navy offered him a job as a chief petty officer running recruits through boot camp in Idaho. He will be buried there. . Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Fairy by Candid Themes. Along with 5 others in the director, there was no hope for rescue. DONALD STRATTON OBITUARY. Arizona Final Salute Information He and other survivors gathered together and signaled for help, which caught the attention of Joe George aboard the nearby USS Vestal. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Donald Stratton to pay them a last tribute. The Secretary of the Navy spoke, as well as Senator of Colorado Cory Gardner. The Arizona was on fire and the Japanese were still attacking. The explosion lifted the ship out of the water. Messages run for up to one year and you The Strattons knew they had to right that wrong. Search by Name. An Arizona crew that once numbered 1, 512 is now down to two. He wanted to be at home, Randy said. He went through multiple surgeries to replace as much of the skin on his legs and hands as was possible. "It comes from the heart, that's what it's about. Stratton. Stratton, Bruner and Conter were front and center. Friends may sign the online register book at www.nerofuneralhome.net. Elizabeth II was the sovereign of more than one independent state and . Donald reenlisted in the Navy, went through boot camp a second time, and was stationed on the USS Stack for the remainder of the war. He quietly departed this life Saturday, February 15, 2020 in his Colorado Springs, CO home alongside his wife and son. The. His wife, Velma, and his son, Randy, were with him. Stratton, 97, a Colorado Springs resident, died Feb. 15. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Born in Bath, NY, he lived in Camillus for more than 15 years. 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. Many putting out fires on board their ships. (Nikki Stratton), Stratton said he and others trapped aboard the sinking Arizona had struggled mightily to escape the carnage, which killed 1,177of his shipmates, after Japanese planes struck the Arizona several times on Dec. 7, 1941. Stratton will be eulogized at services in Colorado Springs,. -- In a tragic update to an already somber occasion, we're learning that two people are dead from separate crashes that happened during the funeral motorcade for Pearl Harbor veteran Donald Stratton. His great grandchildren were so blessed to have spent precious years hearing his stories: Nathan Hernandez, Jax Brewer, Robert Stratton, Kennedy Stratton, Emersyn Caldwell, Bryce Caldwell and Boden Caldwell. "Acts of individual heroism could be witnessed everywhere you looked. The family has entrusted Seederly-Mong & Beck Funeral Home in North Lima, Ohio with the arrangements for their loved one. Donald was predeceased by his daughter, Donna Stratton; parents, Robert and Ida Stratton; and brother, Robert Stratton Jr. 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. 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. Randy and his mother were with Stratton when he died Saturday. Other men carrying their wounded buddies to safety, trying desperately to stanch their bleeding. 3 crashes, 2 deaths involving Donald Stratton funeral procession, By Debbie Kelley It indicates, "Click to perform a search". Eight-year-old Landon Knestrick from North Carolina spoke at the service. 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. Market data provided by Factset. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Paul Franklin, Jr., Robert Franklin, Charles Franklin, and Floyd Franklin. 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. 2 gun turret, and as he walked out, he heard loud voices. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. Finally, he was given a medical discharge and returned to Nebraska. "If anyone deserved a Medal of Honor that day, in my opinion, it was him.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Despite the horror he experienced aboard Arizona, he spent the next year itching to return to the Navy. 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. Flint Journal. On that day, 1,177 men perished in the explosion leaving just 300 alive. It's just our way of saying goodbye," Bill Klaers said. We would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. They had four children, two of which passed before they were just 5 days old, and 2 boys Robert and Randy. BOARDMAN Donald Allen Stratton, 86, of Poland, passed away on Thursday, November 25, 2021 at Mercy Health Center in Boardman surrounded by his family. Is comparing Colorado Springs' and Denver's homeless populations fair or unfair? Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Without Joe, my dad wouldnt have been here, Randy Stratton said Sunday. Donald J. Stratton, Sr. March 14, 1928 March 4, 2019. . "We got hit with the big bomb and that exploded like a million pounds of ammunition. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. On Dec. 7, Stratton, Bruner and Conter watched on board the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor as theNavy awarded George a posthumous Bronze Star for Valor. Donald Stratton graduated from high school in 1940, a star athlete who needed work during hard times. 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. Donald Stratton hoped that the events of December 7, 1941 and the men who sacrificed themselves would never be forgotten. Once out to sea Donald really found his sea legs, feeling like his secondary home was always on the water. Obituary BOARDMAN - Donald Allen Stratton, 86, of Poland, passed away on Thursday, November 25, 2021 at Mercy Health Center in Boardman surrounded by his family. The latest breaking news, delivered straight to your email! 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. Donald A. Stratton, 60, of 560 E. Garwood St., died yesterday at 6:30 p.m. in Alliance City hospital following an illness of one week. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. May 18, 1934 - November 30, 2020. Donald J. Stratton, age 70, of Mayville, passed away Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at James E. Cartwright Care Center in Saginaw, MI. Hes atrue American hero.. The order had been given for the Vestal to cut loose from the Arizona and head for open water, Stratton said in his book. 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. quest diagnostics 32791n. Throughout his life, Donald asked himself that very question. Donald Stratton was one of the last three remaining survivors of the USS Arizona. It's a different view from above,. He became active in survivors groups and worked with a historian to preserve the story. Flint Journal Homepage. Just as he saw it begin, Stratton saw the war end. All rights reserved. Olivet United Church of Christ Memorial Fund. What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative? 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. Surviving are his wife of 59 years, the former Catherine Klix; daughters, Susan (Chris Gilmore) Stratton of Portland, OR, Laura (Walter) Ranger of Liverpool and Paula (Jim) Franklin of Portland, OR; son, Donald (Martha) Stratton Jr. of Choctaw, OK; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; brothers, William of Atlanta, GA and Lynn Stratton of Staten Island; and several nieces and nephews. He was skilled in mechanics and during his lifetime built two ultralight airplanes in which he modified the engines in both. He met up with the Arizona while it was in dry dock in Bremerton Washington. AboutPressCopyrightContact. On Satuday, Colorado Springs said goodbye to an American hero. Donalds life was chronicled in the book All the Gallant Men which can be found online and your local book stores. He flew both ultralights successfully. Smoke and flames choked the air, but Stratton saw someone moving on a smaller ship that had been tethered to the Arizona. "The flames swallowed the foremast where we were, " the Nebraska native said in the book. In 1966, Stratton returned to Pearl Harbor with his family. 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. Every memory left on the online obituary will be automatically included in the book. local_floristSEND FLOWERS. The Stratton men called and wrote letters, telling Georges story to anyone who would listen. The funeral procession stretching. or redistributed. Men being strafed as they brought boxes of ammo up ladders to the antiaircraft guns. Arrangements are being made by Wait Ross Allanson Funeral & Cremation Services Chapel,. We would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. 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. 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! Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. Donald was burned over 65% of his body and escaped the inferno by climbing across a line to a neighboring shipthe USS Vestal. 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. Services Sunday . He is preceded in death by his parents, Jesse and Nellie Stratton; and 13 siblings. His skills were endless and his mind was always looking for the next thing to invent, design and bring to life. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. It was there he and Randy started their campaign to recognize Joe George, the sailor who threw the line to the burning Arizona. ". Williams Funeral Home 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's granddaughter, Nikki, told Fox News hedied "peacefully" with family by his side, including his wife of nearly 70 years, Velma. He was born on August 31, 1944 in New Orleans to Fred and Mae Stratton, who predeceased him. Wife, Velma, and cards two of which passed before they were just 5 days,! Get all the stories you need-to-know from the heart, that 's what it 's just. Design and bring to life just as he attempted to direct the 5-inch guns the. 15, 2020 in his Colorado Springs, surrounded by his brother and. Lived in Camillus for more than 15 years director, there was no hope rescue. 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