COUNTY LIFE
USS Oklahoma sailor finally laid to rest at Forestburg
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
A funeral is often a sad and mournful occasion, and while Saturday’s service for James C. Solomon was tinged with grief, his homecoming to Forestburg after more than 76 years after his death at Pearl Harbor was respectful and joyful as American flags flew in the morning air and sailors in dress whites snapped to in their duties.
Navy Seaman 1st Class James Cleve Soloman was buried with full military honors, remembrances and hymns at Perryman Cemetery Saturday morning. He is the eighth seaman from the USS Oklahoma whose remains were identified through modern DNA testing conducted during the last three years.
Solomon had been in the U.S. Navy a little more than a year after joining on April 2, 1940, when the battleship USS Oklahoma was bombed while moored at Pearl Harbor. A total of 429 men died on the ship that day. Due to the ship capsizing and delays in getting to those deceased seaman there were problems with identification.
Despite multiple attempts to ID the men, many were buried as unknowns in two Hawaii cemeteries. However, about three years ago Solomon’s family was contacted about providing DNA material and last September Hardy Seay, nephew to Solomon, received a call that his “Uncle J” had been officially accounted for by the Navy.
A large crowd filled the small country cemetery located at the edge of Forestburg for the service. Members of the Patriot Guard escorted the casket from Bowie to the cemetery driving through a lane lined by the local Boy Scouts troop holding American flags.
Circling the gravesite were a Navy honor teams for a rifle volley,“Taps” and presentation of the American flag. They made an impressive site dressed in their white uniforms and their gold buttons shined in the sunlight.
RDML Carol Lynch, JAGC, USN, deputy judge advocate general (reserve affairs and operations, deputy commander, naval legal service command, led the honor team and rifle team, providing the military honors.
For Lynch this was her seventh seaman to lay to rest from the USS Oklahoma and it moves her as much today as the first one in December 2016. She explained the policy is if a sailor or marine is killed in action there will be a flag officer, an admiral at the funeral and at planeside when they come home.
“It is an honor every day,” said the Admiral. “The first one I did was shortly after being promoted to admiral. It was in Mississippi in December 2016 during the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It was amazing. When I came home I thought I can retire now, it was a great memorable moment of my life to see the strong support and to honor someone who lost their life in service.”
Read the full story in the mid-week News and see many more photos from this event.
Also see the adjacent video on the flag folding ceremony.
From a road trip around North Texas to a colorful car show, Nocona is gearing up for its 11th annual springtime festival Cruisin’ Nocona on May 3-4 with lots of family fun activities.
Enjoy the popular Poker Cruise on May 3 as drivers travel a 120-mile trek through the countryside of Montague County enjoying several stops along the way before looping back to Nocona for lunch.
Early-bird registration is $50. Forms are available at the Nocona Chamber of Commerce office at 304 Clay St. #3 or go online to Nocona.org/events to get a form. After April 25 the cost goes up to $65.
There will be on-site registration from 9 – 10:30 a.m. that day at 915 E. U.S. Highway 82, where the cruise starts at 11 a.m. Each driver gets a goodie bag with a Cruisin’ Nocona T-shirt and ticket for the cruise lunch. Additional lunch tickets may be purchased for $20.
First-third place prizes will be awarded to the best poker hands. There will be a big truck light show at 8:30 p.m. at The V at 8:30 p.m. Friday night.
A pancake breakfast served from 8-10 a.m. at The V opens Saturday morning followed by downtown Nocona being filled with classic cars and big trucks for Cruisin’ Car Show. This is the second year to include the big trucks set up along Clay and West Walnut Streets.
Prizes will be awarded to the top 10 cars and pickups, top five motorcycles, Big Truck People’s Choice and Big Truck that traveled the farthest to the show. All makes and models welcomed to enter. Forms are available on the chamber’s website.
The car show will have registration from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Clay and W. Walnut with judging from 1-3 p.m. Awards will be presented at 4 p.m. at the H.J. Justin Building, 100 Clay.
There will be a power wheel car show from 3-4 p.m. in the Justin building. Cecil Allen Moore will entertain at the same location starting at 5 p.m.
Bowie High School staff and students celebrated its first “Signing Day” on April 25 looking on as three seniors signed their letters of intent to pursue different paths to higher education.
Principal Joanne Keeler said she was excited to present this program and show students the success they can have if they work hard and they also could be signing up for their future. She hopes to see the program expand adding more students who are planning their futures.
Jacobi McGregor signed his letter of intent to attend Ottawa University in Kansas on a powerflifting scholarship. He plans to study sports administration.
Iron Atkinson will be joining the United States Army. His grandmother Sherri Waldrop, looked on as he signed the paperwork.
Traycee Stewart, daughter of Susan and James Stewart, will attending West Texas State A&M University on a music education scholarship.
Read the full story on signing day in the mid-week Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Gold-Burg High School’s one-act play, “Interview,” advanced to state competition in Austin after an outstanding performance at regionals last Friday.
The Bears advance with eight other plays with a chance to take the state title on May 13. Students taking honors at regionals were Izzy Rohde who won Best All Around Female Performer. Director Linda Fitzner said Rohde is an eighth grader and they had to obtain permission for her to move up and participate in one-act.
Levi Hellinger and Barrett Allen won All Star Cast and Aidan Foster received a special individual lighting award. Jimena Garcia was honorable mention All Star Cast.
There will be a public show at 4 p.m. May 5 in the Bowie Junior High Auditorium.
For Gold-Burg this is their first time to take a one-act play to state. They have made it to regionals two or three other times, but it is the first for state.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
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