COLORADO SPRINGS — Organizers of a memorial service for Donald Stratton, scheduled for Saturday morning in Colorado Springs, say a large number of people is expected to attend.
A service to pay final respects to Stratton, a survivor of the USS Arizona bombing during the attack on Pearl Harbor, is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at Rocky Mountain Calvary, located at 4285 N. Academy Blvd.
Due to limited parking, those who plan to attend the service are encouraged to park at the east end lot of Doherty High School, at 4515 Barnes Road. Shuttles will run from the school to the chapel about every 10 minutes.
Those who attend the service are encouraged to wear red, white and blue; Hawaiian print shirts, or military uniforms in honor of Stratton and his USS Arizona shipmates.
Stratton was 19 years old and stationed on the Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
The battleship's explosion killed 1,177 men. Stratton was among 335 who survived, with burns over 65% of his body.
Stratton was one of three remaining Arizona survivors. The only survivors are Lou Contor and Ken Potts, both in their 90s.
After the service a Colorado Springs Police Department motorcade will escort the casket and family procession on Interstate 25 to the city limits at Baptist Road.
The procession will continue en route to Red Cloud, Nebraska, Stratton's hometown where he will be buried, with patriotic honors planned along the route through Colorado.
Those who wish to line the route with signs and flags are reminded not to stop on the Interstate, to find a location that is safe for themselves as well as others, and to not impede the procession.
The route and approximate timeline are as follows:
- 12:15 p – 12:30 p Depart: Rocky Mountain Calvary, 4285 N Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs
- 12:25 p – 12:40 p Academy Blvd onto Austin Bluffs Pkwy
- Austin Bluffs Pkwy onto I-25 NB at Garden of the Gods Rd.
- 12:30 p – 12:45 p NB I-25 at Monument Hill
- 12:40 p – 12:55 p NB I-25 at Tomah Rd
- 12:45 p – 1:00 p NB I-25 at Castle Pines
- 12:55 p – 1:10 p NB I-25 at 470
- 1:00 p – 1:15 p NB I-25 onto NB 225
- 1:10 p – 1:25 p NB 225 onto EB I-70
- 1:20 p – 1:35 p EB I-70 at Watkins
- 1:25 p – 1:40 p EB I-70 at Bennett
- 1:30 p - 1:45 p EB I-70 at Strasburg
- 1:35 p - 1:50 p EB I-70 at Byers
- 1:45 p - 2:00 p EB I-70 at Deer Trail
- 1:55 p - 2:10 p EB I-70 at Agate
- 2:10 p - 2:25 p EB I-70 at Limon
- 20 minute stop for gas/break, Flying J 2495 Williams Ave Limon 80828
- 2:35 p - 2:50 p EB I-70 at Genoa
- 2:45 p - 3:00 p EB I-70 at Arriba
- 2:55 p - 3:10 p EB I-70 at Siebert
- 3:05 p - 3:20 p EB I-70 at Stratton
- 3:20 p - 3:35 p EB I-70 at Burlington
- 3:30 p –3:45 p EB I-70 at Colorado/Kansas State Line
- Time changes to Central Time
- 5:00 p – 5:15 p EB I-70 at Brewster
- 5:15 p – 5:30 p EB I-70 at Highway 216 (Grinnell)
- 5:40 p – 5:55 p EB I-70 at Quinter
- 6:00 p – 6:15 p EB I-70 at Wakeeney
- 20 minute stop for gas/break, Wakeeney Travel Plaza 24-7 Store 745 S 1st St Wakeeney KS 67672
- 6:40 p – 6:55 p EB I-70 at Ellis
- 6:50 p – 7:05 p EB I-70 onto NB 183
- 7:00 p – 7:15 p NB 183 at Buckeye
- 7:15 p – 7:30 p NB 183 at Plainville
- 7:30 p – 7:45 p NB 183 at Highway 24
- 7:50 p – 8:05 p NB 183 onto EB Highway 36 (Philipsburg)
- 8:20 p – 8:35 p EB 36 at Smith Center
- 8:30 p – 8:45 p EB 36 onto NB 281
- 8:45 p – 9:00 p NB 281 at Kansas/Nebraska State Line
- 8:55 p – 9:05 p NB 281 onto WB 4th Ave to:
- Williams Funeral Home, 241 W Fourth Ave, Red Cloud, Nebraska
