Actual photo of the USS Shaw exploding in Pearl Harbor
In 1941, John Thomas Rainbolt was a F1c, or Fireman First class serving in the US Navy, aboard the USS Shaw, a naval destroyer. The USS Shaw was among several dry docked ships in the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard on the morning of December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked. Fireman First class Rainbolt was on duty aboard the ship that morning. The ship attracted the unwelcome attention of several Japanese dive bombers and took three direct hits: two bombs through the forward machine gun platform and one through the port wing of the bridge. The resulting fires proved uncontrollable and the ship was ordered abandoned. As efforts were underway to flood the dry dock, her forward ammunition magazines detonated in a spectacular blast, which provided one of the most iconic photographs of the attack on Pearl Harbor. However, the ship did not sink. Temporary repairs were made at Pearl Harbor and the ship was steamed back to San Francisco in February 1942 where repairs were completed and she continued to serve on many missions during World War II.
In addition to John Rainbolt, twenty four other Navy personnel died as a result of the attack on the ship. John’s remains were laid to rest in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri in plot section 82, site 116-117. His birth date is listed as unknown with a death date of Dec. 7, 1941.
In November 1942, the American Legion named a post in Little Rock after John. The post was officially named the Thomas Rainbolt Post, No 198 in honor of a native of the state who was killed at Pearl Harbor.
John Thomas Rainbolt was one of three children of Mark L. Rainbolt and his wife Naomi Nettie Myatt, who were residents of Searcy County, Arkansas and it is assumed that this is where John grew up. His mother died on December 29, 1935, but his father lived until January 1963.
THE LINEAGE:
(John Thomas Rainbolt was the son of Marcus Laudermilk and Naomi Nettie Myatt Rainbolt and the grandson of James Hardy and Permelia Emily Vinson Myatt. Permelia was the third child of Thomas Allison and Alpha Gemima Sholar Vinson. Alpha Gemima was the ninth child of Allen and Jemima Bridges Sholar. Jemima was the first child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges)
In addition to John Rainbolt, twenty four other Navy personnel died as a result of the attack on the ship. John’s remains were laid to rest in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri in plot section 82, site 116-117. His birth date is listed as unknown with a death date of Dec. 7, 1941.
In November 1942, the American Legion named a post in Little Rock after John. The post was officially named the Thomas Rainbolt Post, No 198 in honor of a native of the state who was killed at Pearl Harbor.
John Thomas Rainbolt was one of three children of Mark L. Rainbolt and his wife Naomi Nettie Myatt, who were residents of Searcy County, Arkansas and it is assumed that this is where John grew up. His mother died on December 29, 1935, but his father lived until January 1963.
THE LINEAGE:
(John Thomas Rainbolt was the son of Marcus Laudermilk and Naomi Nettie Myatt Rainbolt and the grandson of James Hardy and Permelia Emily Vinson Myatt. Permelia was the third child of Thomas Allison and Alpha Gemima Sholar Vinson. Alpha Gemima was the ninth child of Allen and Jemima Bridges Sholar. Jemima was the first child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges)
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