Family of Pearl Harbor Navy man brings remains back to Monticello

     “How often can you honor someone who died at Pearl Harbor? This is to honor my uncle and all veterans. We honor them just as much as those who died for our country.”

   Those words were eloquently spoken by Tom Brokaw, Jr., of Monticello, referring to his uncle, Donald Alfred Stott, who lost his life at the age of 19 while serving on the USS Oklahoma on Dec. 7, 1941.

   Stott’s remains were uncovered and positively identified, allowing the Brokaw family to honor their loved one with a public funeral and military burial on Saturday, March 25, in Monticello.

   Services will be held at 11 a.m. at St. Matthew Lutheran Church with Pastor David Raemisch officiating. (The service will also be livestreamed via Facebook Live.) The burial, with full military honors via the Rock Island Honor Guard, will follow at Oakwood Cemetery in Monticello.

   Assisting Tom and Jill Brokaw are Goettsch Funeral Home and the U.S. Navy.

   “Kevin Smith (Goettsch Funeral Home) and the Navy have been very helpful; how can you plan a funeral for someone you never met?” Jill said.

   Tom wasn’t even born until four years after Stott died.

   Stott was born on Feb. 27, 1922 in Monticello. His parents were Wilbur Stott and Dorothy (Gaddie) Littlefield Stott. His siblings were Raymond Stott, who also served in Pearl Harbor and survived the attack, and Rose (Littlefield) Brokaw Schaefer.

   Rose was Tom Brokaw’s mother. Tom has two living sisters, nieces of Stott: Gerty (Lawrence) O’Leary of Missouri and Neena (Paul) Petersen of Tennessee.

   Before the thought of war was even in his head, Stott lived with the Behrends family of Monticello: William (Skinny), Hulda, and sons John and Larry, who still reside in Monticello.

   Stott is also related to another Behrends of Monticello; he and Bernice Behrends were first cousins. Bernice’s daughters are Grace Zimmerman and Bev Becker.

   Zimmerman shared that her mom and Stott were quite close, so close, in fact, that her older brother was named “Donald” in honor of Stott.

   While Zimmerman’s father was serving overseas, Bev was born. Stott’s mom stood up with the family at Bev’s baptism.

   “She was Bev’s godmother,” Zimmerman said.

   At the age of 17, Stott enlisted in the U.S. Navy on March 13, 1940 in Des Moines. Because of his age, his father had to give permission.

   “His dad signed for him,” Tom said.

   The reason for allowing his son to serve so young will never be known, but Tom offered, “Don wanted to go and serve.”

   The process of identifying and bringing Stott’s remains back to his hometown of Monticello, Iowa, has certainly been a process and labor of love for the Brokaws.

   “My wife did 90 percent of the work,” credited Tom of Jill’s hard work and effort in seeing this process to the end.

   “There has been a lot of cooperation, and we appreciate the diligence of the Navy,” added Jill. “This is the end of a cycle for a young man who was so full of hope before his life was cut short.”

   This has been 10 years, at least, in the making…

   Four hundred twenty-nine servicemen lost their lives on Dec. 7, 1941, on the USS Okalahoma. Years later, the remains of 35 of those men were identified. According to the DPAA report, “the unidentified remains were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), or “Punchbowl.”

   In April 2015, due to advances in DNA technology, the Deputy Secretary of Defense granted permission to exhume the remains of the “unknowns.”

   Knowing Neena Petersen was Stott’s oldest, living relative, the Navy contacted her initially to see if she would submit DNA to begin the process of identifying Stott’s remains. Petersen then gave them her brother’s name as another living relative. Both submitted DNA samples for testing.

   Tom shared that in March 2020, he was notified that his DNA matched that of the remains the Navy tested.

   Through this process, the DPAA was able to identify the remains as male, between the ages of 17-23, European ancestry, 64 to 69.4 inches tall, and no perimortem trauma reported. Stott, a male, was 19 years and 9 months at the time of his death, white, 66.75 inches tall, and was killed in action. His official death certificate notes his death as being a homicide on board the USS Oklahoma.

   Stott earned the rank of S1c (Seaman 1^st Class). Following his enlistment, he reported for duty onboard the USS Oklahoma on June 24, 1940. According to the DPAA report, “As part of the effort to check Japanese aggression, the U.S. Pacific Fleet conducted exercises in the waters off Hawaii beginning in May 1940. After the maneuvers, the fleet remained in Pearl Harbor to provide more of a forward presence than was possible from the U.S. West Coast.”

   In early February, Tom and Jill met with representatives from the Navy at the Monticello Heritage and Cultural Center to firm up details regarding Stott’s service.

   From all of the official documents, photographs, and newspaper and media clippings the family has gathered, Jill took the time to put together a memorial scrapbook of Stott’s life.

   “I wanted to put it together for our kids and family to have,” she said.

   “This is the history of my uncle,” Tom added.

   Interesting to note, the USS Oklahoma docked in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 6, 1940, one year and one day prior to the attack. Stott spent one year and a day onboard.

   Tom has quite a history of members of his family serving this country.

   His son, Tom Brokaw III, served six years in the Iowa National Guard, joining during the summer of his junior year of high school.

   He also has four nephews who served between two and four years in the military.

   Tom’s brother-in-law was a career serviceman, as were three of Tom’s first cousins.

   “We could have just had a military graveside service,” Jill said of their plans to bury Stott locally.

   “But we wanted to involve our family and the public,” added Tom. “This is an opportunity to honor those who served, and to honor my uncle.”

   In fact, the Brokaws welcome all veterans to attend a once-in-a-lifetime event.

   The Brokaws’ family, their kids and grandkids, are excited for the occasion.

   “The family is happy to bring their loved one home,” Jill said.

   Tommy Brokaw IV, Stott’s great-great nephew, will be singing during the service.

   As for why the Brokaws wanted to bring Stott’s remains back to be buried with family in Monticello, Tom said he was born in and grew up in Monticello; this is where he should be laid to rest.

   “He’ll be buried near my mom, his sister,” Tom offered. “This is for my mom.”

   If Stott were still alive today, he’d be 101 years old.

   “He enjoyed the brief time he spent in Hawaii and was proud to be serving his country,” Stott’s obituary states. “His large family is proud of his service at Pearl Harbor. He served his country with pride and made the ultimate sacrifice.”