USS Oklahoma's Unknowns: Lowell Valley and James Solomon

Here are some of the men who have been identified in the last year.

LOWELL EARL VALLEY  Fireman 2nd Class, from Ontonagon, Upper Peninsula, Michigan.  Born July 20, 1922.  Reported to duty on the Oklahoma June 7, 11941.  Exactly six months later, he was dead at age 19.

Two other Upper Peninsula crew men on the Oklahoma were killed.  One was GEORGE LEHMAN of Hancock who was id'd in 2010 and WILLIAM MICHAEL FINNEGAN, a native of Bessemer, who grew up in Dollar Bay.  he was identified May 9, 2016.

JAMES C. SOLOMON  Seaman 1st Class    Montague County's first casualty in the war.  He will be buried in Perrymen Cemetery.  Born July 1, 1918 in Holdenville, Oklahoma.  Moved to Forestburg at age 9 months.

 Graduated Forestburg High School in 1936.  In the CCC before enlisting on April 2, 1940.  The family received a telegram notifying them that he was MIA.  On February 18, 1942, they received another telegram that he had lost his life.

--GreGen