WWII hero returns to Red Cloud for last time

Monday morning the body of an American hero was laid to rest in the Red Cloud Cemetery and hundreds of people gathered to pay their final respects to the community's native son.

American flags lined the entrance to the cemetery while a crane hoisted a flag above the gravesite. Patriot Guard members held flags along the road as the vehicle carrying Donald Stratton's body approached the cemetery.

Stratton, a 1940 graduate of Red Cloud High School, was one of the few men on board the battleship Arizona who survived when the ship was sunk by the Japanese during the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec. 7, 1941. A story published in this newspaper following his death at his Colorado home told of his experience on that day and his life since.

A recent resident of Colorado Springs, a funeral was held there on Saturday. Then a motorcade left Colorado Springs for what was expected to be a 7-hour, 448-mile trip to Red Cloud.

The trip did not go as planned.

Among those escorting the body was a contingent of Legion Riders. Two of the group's motorcyclists were injured about 1:40 p.m. after apparently crashing into each other on Interstate 24 north of Castle Rock, Colo. Both men were hospitalized, one with serious injuries.

Two separate but related accidents on I-70 claimed two lives in Kansas.

Lennie Riedel, a Colby area resident, died after he lost control of his motorcycle, laid it down and was struck by two vehicles in Gove County, Kansas.

Another member of the American Legion Riders, George Overton, was also injured in the crash, but he is recovering.

A member of American Legion Riders said Riedel wasn't a veteran himself, but he cared deeply about veterans because his father was in the military. So, anytime there was a reason to pay respects or honor a veteran, he was there.

Riedel joined the post's Sons of the American Legion Riders several years ago.

Gove County Sheriff Allan Weber said the first crash happened around 7 p.m. near Exit 95 at Grainfield and K-23 North.

"For some reason, it got congested. Right underneath the underpass is where the accident initially started," said Weber.

Weber said a deputy called for EMS and traffic control within seconds. The fire department was just more than a mile away at Exit 93, but Riedel died at the scene.

"I had two fire trucks staged under the overpass to protect the scene we had because there were a lot of people on the highway," recalled Weber.

But about 10 minutes after the first crash (around 7:10 p.m.), a vehicle that was not a part of the procession went around the diversion at the west end where traffic was being diverted off the roadway.

The vehicle ran into the back of a parked fire truck and the driver died at the scene. The driver of the fire truck is expected to be okay.

Weber said what happened was unfortunate especially as they were trying to honor a fallen hero.

The funeral procession arrived in Red Cloud about 10:15 p.m. Saturday. A number of people had gathered at the funeral home awaiting its arrival.

The Rev. Warren Schoming, pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Red Cloud, conducted the graveside service with full military honors, including a 21-gun salute, a bugler played Taps and a burial flag was presented to Stratton's family.

Judy Donley, a Burr Oak resident, offered a symbolic white dove release in celebration of Stratton's life. She said the dove is a symbol of peace.

Instead of doves, she released white homing pigeons that were expected to return to her home.

The somber service contained moments of levity. Schoming presented Stratton's son with a bag of Hershey's Kisses and two cartons of root beer. Both were Stratton's favorite treats.

Stratton died in his sleep on Feb. 15. A story of his life was published in the Feb. 20 issue of The Express.

Stratton was the subject of the best selling book, "All the Gallant Men, a memoir recounting his harrowing escape from death.