COUNTY LIFE
Forestburg seaman killed at Pearl Harbor finally coming home to rest
By BARBARA GREEN
Seventy-seven years after his death aboard the USS Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor, Navy Seaman 1st Class James C. Solomon, Montague County’s first casualty from World War II will finally be laid to rest in his hometown of Forestburg.
A funeral service for the seaman, including full military honors, will take place at 11 a.m. July 14 in Perryman Cemetery at Forestburg.
Solomon was originally interred in Hawaii where service members who could not be identified were buried as “unknowns.” He was officially accounted for on Sept. 26, 2017 following extensive testing based on DNA evidence.
On Dec. 7, 1941 Solomon was serving on the battleship USS Oklahoma, moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when it was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The American fleet along Battleship Row was decimated in the surprise attack.
The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo attacks as the Japanese used dive bombers, fighter bombers and torpedo planes to sink nine ships including five battleships and severely damage 21 ships. There were 2,402 U.S. deaths from that attack and 429 were from the USS Oklahoma battleship.
While the crew attempted to fight back, during the first 10 minutes of the battle, eight torpedoes hit the ship and she began to capsize. A ninth torpedo would hit her as she sunk in the mud.
Meet this Forestburg High School graduate who left home to work with the Civilian Conservation Corps and later went into the Navy to serve his country one year before Pearl Harbor in your mid-week News.
COUNTY LIFE
Jammin’ at the Justin makes temporary move
The March 30 Jammin’ at the Justin makes a move to the Nocona Senior Citizens Center, 400 Boston due to a scheduling conflict.
Jammin’ begins at 6 p.m. Come out to play or sing, or just sit back and enjoy the music at the free show. Tips will go to the senior center.
COUNTY LIFE
Bowie one-act advances to area
Bowie High School’s one-act play, “A Monster Calls,” advances to area on April 13 in Clyde after a great showing at bi-district competition.
The production got second place and advances with Eastland and Early. Lia Meier and Corban Word received All Star Cast, and Owen Hofbauer received honorable mention All-Star Cast. The tech award went to Adamari Alonso for lights.
The show is directed by April Word. A time for the area performance will be announced as soon as it is released. There will be a public performance of the play at 6:30 p.m. April 7 in the Bowie Junior High Auditorium.
Area OAPs
Gold-Burg, Saint Jo, Forestburg and Bellevue High Schools take their plays to district contests on March 29 at North Central Texas College theater.
Bellevue will be the first play of the day at 10 a.m. The rest perform at about one-hour intervals with a break for lunch. Saint Jo is next followed by Forestburg and Gold-Burg.
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