A 19-year-old sailor who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor some eight decades ago will finally be coming home to Eastern Iowa.

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that the family of Seaman First Class Donald A. Stott is happy to finally have him home. Stott died aboard the USS Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor. His remains are being returned to Monticello, Iowa for burial this Saturday. Family members told the Gazette that "now we will have some closure and know where he is."


The Gazette reports that Stott joined the Navy at the age of 17 after his dad signed his enlistment papers. He had been aboard the USS Oklahoma for a year and one day on December 7th, 1941. That morning, Japanese planes and submarines attacked Pearl Harbor. During the attack, the Oklahoma capsized and Stott and 428 of his shipmates died. On that 'day of infamy' 19 Navy ships and eight battleships were destroyed. 2,403 U.S. personnel lost their lives.

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Family members confirmed to the Gazette that Stott's remains were in Omaha, Nebraska earlier this month awaiting transport by a Navy escort back to Monticello. They also noted that Stott could have been buried at a national cemetery, but that family wanted him laid to rest back home in Iowa. Family members say that it took more than 10 years to get Stott's remains identified through DNA technology.

Donald Stott will be laid to rest on March 25th in Oakwood Cemetery in Monticello, Iowa, with full military honors provided by the United States Navy. Welcome home, Seaman Stott.

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