Otto Blyton Determined as Dead
Had been Classed as Missing in Action since 1 March 1942

Otto "Dutch" Blyton formerly of Dallas, who has been classed as missing in action of over three years, has been recorded officially as dead as of Dec 15, 1945. A letter from James Forestal, secretary of the navy, dated Dec 19 to his mother, Mrs. Olive Blyton of Rice Lake reads:
My dear Mrs. Blyton:
Your son, Otto Merle Blyton, coxswain, U.S. Navy, was offically determined to be missing in action as of 1 March 1942. He was serving aboard the USS Pecos when that vessal was bombed by enemy planes and sank in the open sea south of Java.
On 1 Mar 1942, all the survivors of the USS Langley, which has been sunk a few days previously as a result of enemy action, were transferred to the Pecos. A few hours later while enroute to Freemantle Australia, the Pecos was attacked and sunk by carrier based enemy dive bombers. A distress signal sent out by the Pecos was intercepted by the USS Whipple which arrived on the scene in time to rescue 220 survivors who were floating in a mass of debris and oil. While the rescue was in progress, a submarine detected in the immediate vicinity was attacked with depth charges by the Whipple. Although the outcome of the attack was not known the Whipple continued to search the area and pick up scattered survivors before proceeding to Freemantle. It is regretted that your son was not among the survivors rescued by the Whipple and no further information concerning him has been received by the Navy department since the loss of his ship.
In view of the length of time that now has elapsed since your son was determined officially to be missing in action because of the strong probability that he lost his life in the bombing and sinking of the USS Pecos and in view of the fact that his name has not appeared on any lists or reports of personnel liberated from Japanese prisoner of war camps. I am reluctantly forced in the conclusion that he is deceased. In compliance with section 5 of Public Law 190, 77th Congress, as amended, the death of your son is for the purposes of termination of pay and allowance, and payment of death gratuities, presumed to have occurred on 15 Dec 1945.
I know what little solace the formal and written word can be to help meet the burden of your loss, but in spite of that knowledge, I cannot refrain from saying very simply, that I am sorry. It is hoped that you may find comfort in the thought that your son gave his life for his country, upholding the highest traditions of the Navy.

Barron County News Shield, 10 Jan 1946, pg. 1, col. 4