A Sailor's Long Journey Home
Wed, 08/12/2020 - 10:46am
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by Amanda Mendez, publisher
Orval Austin Tranbarger, oldest son of Major McKinley Tranbarger and Minerva (Cowan) Tranbarger, was born April 2, 1921 at Mountain View, Missouri. Tranbarger joined the U.S. Navy the day after he turned 18, reads his obituary. After basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, he was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma. Seventy-eight years ago, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and Tranbarger was listed as MIA at just 20 years old. His remains were never identified until recently. His parents passed away never knowing where his remains were buried as did five siblings; Darrell, Ruby, Marian, Leon, and Eugene.
According to LS1 E6 Anthony Ballard of the United States Navy, the process of identifying soldiers’ remains at Pearl Harbor is an ongoing one, made possible by modern DNA identification procedures. Unknown soldiers are being exhumed one by one and sent back to the main land for identification. Many of the unidentified slain who died in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 were laid to rest during the second World War, but with modern scientific advances the Navy has been able to identify soldiers like Tranbarger and return their remains to their living next of kin.
Tranbarger was born in Mountain View, and his living siblings include: William of Bates City, MO, Burl of Gallatin, MO, Margaret House of Elsberry, MO, and Fay Vance of Wright City, MO. His obituary indicated he also has many surviving cousins and other relatives.
It was the wish of the family that Tranbarger be buried at home in Mountain View. Under the arrangements of Yarber Mortuary, an honor procession began in Willow Springs and escorted Tranbarger to Chapel Hill Cemetery for a funeral with full military honors on August 5. More than 78 years had passed since he died in service of our nation.
LS1 Ballard was part of the procession as were the Patriot Guard Riders. More than 100 bikers, many of whom are also veterans, escorted the hearse from Willow Springs along the highway, through the town of Mountain View, and to the cemetery. Patriots lined the streets in both towns and along the highway, waiving American flags and showing respect for a local soldier away from home too long.
Local VFW groups participated and sailors with the United States Navy waited at attention in the cemetery. The Patriot Guard Riders and other local citizens attended the funeral, keeping a respectful distance as Tranbarger was laid to rest.