Local Spotlight

Continuing with our Pearl Harbor remembrance, today we had the honor of sitting down and speaking with Newport resident, Mrs. Elinor Stratton. Mrs. Stratton was involved in this year’s Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Service by presenting a wreath in honor of her late husband of 57 years, veteran marine, William P. Stratton and all Pearl Harbor veterans.

At age 15, Bill joined the U.S. Marine Corps, serving in the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th Divisions during World War, II. He was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He participated in the invasions of the Marshall Islands and Iwo Jima and helped in the mop-up campaign at Guam. He served 42 months in the Pacific out of 55 months of service. When the war ended, he was the only Pearl Harbor survivor in his unit and was sent to Sasebo, Japan as an observer.

For many years before his death on December 17, 2000, he traveled through Delaware and Pennsylvania giving slide presentations about Pearl Harbor to various churches, lodges and schools.

He was a life member of the U.S. Marine Corps League, president of Pearl Harbor Survivors Chapter 1 of Delaware for 17 years, past commander of the John Ashley Dennis American Legion Post in Philipsburg, member of the Stahl American Legion, past master of Armstrong Free and Accepted Masons Lodge 26 in Newport, Del member of Delaware Medal of Honor Society and a member and deacon of Calvary Presbyterian Church. 

In the early 1980’s Bill approached the then Mayor, Jack Hanna to start a Pearl Harbor observance at Newport’s Bicentennial Park. Bill and Elinor attended every observance until his health prevented him to do so in the mid 1990’s. Elinor has continued to attend as many as she has been able to since Bill’s passing.