Born in Adamson/Adamoon,Pittsburg County,Oklahoma to
James Fortner and
Laura Bell (Short) Ratliff Baker
On 26 Sept.1907.
Raised to his early teens in the home of his step-father Clayborn Benjamin"Jake"Ratliff.
With his brothers Willie Lee"Bill"
and Marion,sister Maybell Ratliff
Left to raise her children as a single parent the three boys did any and all odd jobs they could find.
To help their mother and provide their sister with clothes to wear to school.
Jim enlisted in the US Navy in 1927 .
He survived the sinking of the USS Pope DD225 in the second Battle of the Java Sea March 3 1942.
After spending about 36 hrs awaiting rescue with his shipmates in the sea.
Rescue arrived unfortunately by the Japanese and all were taken prisoners.He remained a POW until the end of WW2 in 1945.
He was for a short time in charge of Navy Recruiting in Corvallis,Lane,Oregon.
He retired in 1957 after serving his country 30 yrs with the rank of 2nd Lt.
Born in Adamson/Adamoon,Pittsburg County,Oklahoma to
James Fortner and
Laura Bell (Short) Ratliff Baker
On 26 Sept.1907.
Raised to his early teens in the home of his step-father Clayborn Benjamin"Jake"Ratliff.
With his brothers Willie Lee"Bill"
and Marion,sister Maybell Ratliff
Left to raise her children as a single parent the three boys did any and all odd jobs they could find.
To help their mother and provide their sister with clothes to wear to school.
Jim enlisted in the US Navy in 1927 .
He survived the sinking of the USS Pope DD225 in the second Battle of the Java Sea March 3 1942.
After spending about 36 hrs awaiting rescue with his shipmates in the sea.
Rescue arrived unfortunately by the Japanese and all were taken prisoners.He remained a POW until the end of WW2 in 1945.
He was for a short time in charge of Navy Recruiting in Corvallis,Lane,Oregon.
He retired in 1957 after serving his country 30 yrs with the rank of 2nd Lt.
Gravesite Details
Interment date 7-5-2001. LT US Navy. Veteran Service Dates from 01-13-1927 to 08-31-1957. Information extracted from the National Cemetery Administration's National Gravesite Locator. http://www.cem.va.gov/
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