Pearl Harbor 生存者 Donald Stratton, one of only three remaining USS Arizona 乗組員 remembers, dies age 97

  • Donald Stratton died at home on Saturday in Colorado Springs 老年の 97?
  • Now there are only two remaining 生存者s; Lou Conter and Ken Potts, both 98
  • The men were all on board USS Arizona on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese 開始する，打ち上げるd their attack?
  • More than 1,100 people on board the 戦う／戦い ship died in the 爆破s?
  • Stratton is 生き残るd by his wife Velma,? four children and 13 grandchildren and 広大な／多数の／重要な-grandchildren?
  • He was also the author of All The Gallant Men??

By Associated 圧力（をかける）

Published: | Updated:

One of the remaining USS Arizona 乗組員 members who 生き残るd the attack on Pearl Harbor has died.?

Donald Stratton, 97, died at his Colorado Springs home in his sleep Saturday with his family in 出席. He was one of only three 生存者s who are still alive.

Now, only Ken Potts, 98 and Lou Conter, who are both 98.

The 97-year-old 退役軍人 had been in poor health since 契約ing 肺炎 in October.?

'He was a very humble, very 静かな hero,' said his son, Randy Stratton. 'He didn't want or 捜し出す the attention he received.'

Donald Stratton, 97, died at his Colorado Springs home in his sleep Saturday with his family in attendance. He is shown in a recent photograph

Donald Stratton, 97, died at his Colorado Springs home in his sleep Saturday with his family in 出席. He is shown in a 最近の photograph?

Stratton was one of the 生存者s of the Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese 空中の attack on the U.S. 海軍 base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Hawaii.?

Stratton was 不正に bu rned in the 爆破, and has told in the past how he 生き残るd by 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるing with six other men.?

Stratton 19 when the attack on the Arizona happened. He'd enlisted just a year earlier, in 1940

Stratton 19 when the attack on the Arizona happened. He'd enlisted just a year earlier, in 1940

'Men つまずくd around on the deck like human たいまつs, each 崩壊（する）ing into a 炎上ing pile of flesh.?

'Others jumped into the water.?

'When they did, you could hear them sizzle.

'My T-shirt had caught 解雇する／砲火／射撃, 燃やすing my 武器 and my 支援する. My 脚s were 燃やすd from my ankles to my thighs. My 直面する was seared.?

'The hair on my 長，率いる had been singed off, and part of my ear was gone,' he wrote in All The Gallant Men, a memoir about the attack.?

He had been on an outdoor deck when the 爆弾s began, turning the ship into an inferno.?

Stratton was 罠にかける on the ship in a water tower and only escaped when another sailor on the nearby Vesta 投げ上げる／ボディチェックするd the a rope so they could 解放する／自由な themselves from the 炎上s.?

He was 厳しく 燃やすd but managed to get out alive .?

'We had to go を引き渡す 手渡す on that line, and that was probably 70 or 80 feet.??

In this December 7, 1941 file photo, smoke rises from the battleship USS Arizona as it sinks during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

Stratton was one of 1,177 乗組員 on-board the USS Arizona when the Japanese 爆弾d Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He had been on an outdoor deck when the 爆弾s began, turning the ship into an inferno?

Stratton with Lou Conter, John Anderson and Lauren Bruner in 2014. Anderson (second from right) died in 2015 and Bruner (far right) died in September 2019. Now, only Conter (second from left) and Ken Potts remain alive

Stratton with Lou Conter, John Anderson and Lauren Bruner in 2014. Anderson (second from 権利) died in 2015 and Bruner (far 権利) died in September 2019. Now, only Conter (second from left) and Ken Potts remain alive?

Ken Potts, 98, is one of only two remaining survivors

Ken Potts, 98, is one of only two remaining 生存者s?

'You know, you get to the middle of the line and it starts 上りの／困難な again.?

'That was really 堅い, with my 手渡すs and everything 燃やすd,' he wrote.?

The man who saved him was Joe?George.??

Of the more than 1,100 people on-board the Arizona, only 335 生き残るd the attack.?

Stratton had enlisted just a year earlier. He was 19 at the time of the attack.?

After spending 10 months b eing 扱う／治療するd for his 燃やすs, Stratton returned to war and fought out the 残りの人，物 of WWII.?

He then 充てるd his life to telling the story of what happened on-board the Arizona.?

Every year since, he has …に出席するd 記念の services for the men who died.?In 2017, he met with 大統領 Donald Trump in a 会合 at the Oval Office.?

In this July 21, 2017, file photo, President Donald Trump listens to USS Arizona survivor Donald Stratton, right, during a meeting with survivors of the attack on USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington

In this July 21, 2017, とじ込み／提出する photo, 大統領 Donald Trump listens to USS Arizona 生存者 Donald Stratton, 権利, during a 会合 with 生存者s of the attack on USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington

Stratton in a recent photograph with his wife, Velma. They had four children and 13 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Velma is 70

Stratton in a 最近の photograph with his wife, Velma. They had four children and 13 grandchildren and 広大な／多数の／重要な-grandchildren. Velma is 70

On an 評価 page run for him on Facebook, a 地位，任命する on Saturday read: 'We are profoundly sad to say that last night, February 15, Donald passed away 平和的に in his sleep surrounded by his wife of nearly 70 years, Velma, and his son Randy.?

'One of Donald's final wishes was that people remember Pearl Harbor and the men 船内に the USS Arizona.?

'株 their story and never forget those who gave all for our 広大な／多数の／重要な country.

'Donald Stratton, 97 years old.?

'USS Arizona 生存者. Husband of 69 years to Velma Stratton.

'Father to Robert, Randy, Gypsy and Roxanne Jo. Grandfather and 広大な／多数の／重要な-grandfather to 13 amazing grandchildren.?

'Author of New York Times Best 販売人 - All the Gallant Men.'?

THE USS ARIZONA, PEARL HARBOR AND THE ATTACK THAT SENT AMERICA TO WAR?

On December 7, 1941, Japanese dive 爆撃機s descended on Pearl Harbor in a surprise attack that 荒廃させるd the 海軍 and sent the US into World War II.?

It was just before 8am when hundreds of Japanese 計画（する）s 急ぐd the harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii.?

Twenty 海軍 ships had gathered there and there were hundreds of 空気／公表する 軍隊 計画（する）s at nearby bases.?

In total, 2,400 兵士s, sailors and 非軍事のs were killed in the attack.??

An image from the attack. Hundreds of Japanese planes dropped bombs on the US Navy's Pacific Fleet in the attack, triggering a series of explosions which claimed thousands of lives

An image from the attack. Hundreds of Japanese 計画（する）s dropped 爆弾s on the US 海軍's 太平洋の (n)艦隊／(a)素早い in the attack, 誘発する／引き起こすing a 一連の 爆発s which （人命などを）奪う，主張するd thousands of lives?

The USS Arizona was one of the worst 攻撃する，衝突する.?

Of the some 1,500 on-board, only 335 escaped with their lives. Around 900 could not be 回復するd from the 難破 and their remains are still interr ed on the ship.?

It has been 保存するd as a 記念の 場所／位置 and 潜水するd in around 40ft of water.?Around 10 minutes into the attack, an enormous, 1,800lb 爆弾 was dropped on the Arizona.?

It 粉砕するd through the deck and landed in its 今後 弾薬／武器 magazine which 誘発する／引き起こすd an 考えられない 爆発.?With more than 1,000 罠にかける inside, the ship sank.?

生存者s' stories of escape and of the horror they saw on-board are 類似の to Stratton's.?

Stratton and five other men 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd in a water tower and would have died along with the others had Joe George not thrown them a rope from the nearby Vesta ship.?

George had been in the brig the night before the attack and was let out 早期に.?

All of the ships - USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, USS California, USS West Virginia, USS Utah, USS Maryland, USS Pennsylvania, USS Tennessee and USS Nevada? - the 海軍's 太平洋の (n)艦隊／(a)素早い - 支えるd 損失.?

Only the Arizona and the Utah could not be 回復するd.??

The USS Arizona Memorial is shown during a ceremony to mark the 78th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

The USS Arizona 記念の is shown during a 儀式 to 示す the 78th 周年記念日 of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?

Stratton stands in front of the remembrance shrine at Pearl Harbor in December during the 73rd Memorial Service in 2017

Stratton stands in 前線 of the remembrance 神社 at Pearl Harbor in December during the 73rd 記念の Service in 2017?

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