USAFRetired sends us the news that Navy Pharmacist’s Mate 1st Class John Schoonover is coming home to his son at Pensacola Naval Air Station. John was interred with the other 429 sets of unidentified remains from the USS Oklahoma that were lost at Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Hondo told us that his remains were identified last August.
Schoonover’s son, Robert, of Panama City Beach, Florida, says confirmation of his father’s remains has brought him closure.
He says a funeral will be held at the Naval Air Station Pensacola later this month.
Welcome home, PM1 Schoonover.
Rest in Peace.
Welcome home Brother. Rest in peace in your home soil. God be with your family.
What little I was able to find about Schoonover related that he had enlisted in 1920, and that he and his wife had one small child when he was killed, at age 39, at Pearl Harbor. I guess that the small child is Robert. Welcome home.
Schoonover enlisted in 1920…only 2 years after WWI! I thought he looked like OLD NAVY the way his neckerchief was worn and tied!
Welcome home and may you rest in peace.
Welcome home, Doc. I am humbled by your sacrifice.
John Harry Schoonover will be buried 1400 on 26June at Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola, FL. I hope to attend.
There is a great story about John and his son, Robert:
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20171117/nw-fla-mans-father-idd-75-years-after-pearl-harbor
And this one is for Ex-PH2:
According to the article, Robert eventually followed in his father’s footsteps, enlisting in the Navy March 1956 and serving more than 20 years as a photographer’s mate and photo reconnaissance specialist.
Rest In Peace, Brother. You were not forgotten. Salute.