Heavener Pearl Harbor survivor remembered

By PHILLIP ROUTEN

The following story is dedicated to my father-in-law, Donald G. Loe, who was one of Heavener’s Pearl Harbor survivors. His name is listed on two signs, along with the names of Heavener’s other Pearl Harbor survivors. One of those signs is located at the north end of town and the other sign is located at the south end of town, across the street from the Heavener feed store. The names of Heavener’s Pearl Harbor survivors, as written on those two signs, include the following: (1) Chief Boatswain’s Mate Doyle E. Winters (2) Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Jerry E. Roop (3) Seaman 2nd Class Donald G. Loe (4) Aviation Structural Mechanic 1st Class J. D. Barnes.

Note: As I was in the U.S. Navy myself, during in the Vietnam War, I have written each of their names and titles in a way that everyone can understand what their U.S. Navy ranks and job titles were. All of them were America’s heroes. May each of their names be a blessing to all of us.

Every year, someone from the Fort Smith tv news channel would come to my father-in-law’s home in Heavener to interview him while asking him questions about surviving the Japanese navy attack that took place at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941. At that time, Donald G. Loe was a young sailor, just 17 years old, and stationed aboard the USS Salt Lake City CA-25, which was a U.S. Navy Heavy Cruiser. But since he and his wife, Flora Mae Loe, have died and gone to be with the Lord in Heaven, I would like to share his story with all of you. Not only was my father-in-law one of America’s heroes, but he was my hero, as well. That’s why I’m writing this story about him.

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