New name added to Pearl Harbor Survivors Association Memorial Mast
- Lake County News reports
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Ahead of the 79th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the name of another man who had survived the attack and later made Lake County his home has been added to the Lake County Pearl Harbor Survivors Association Memorial Mast in Lakeport.
There is no ceremony set for Dec. 7 this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, the Lake County Pearl Harbor Survivors Association is continuing its efforts to remember those who served and survived during the attack.
It reported that the name of survivor James W. Dvorak Sr. has been added to the memorial mast in Library Park, bringing the number of names on the mast in remembrance of attack survivors who have lived in Lake County to 38.
On Oct. 14, North Bay Monument Co. inscribed Dvorak’s name on the memorial mast, the association reported.
Dvorak was an aviation mechanic working on PBYs on Ford Island before and after the war and during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
His naval career consisted of 22 years of service. During that time he was awarded 11 medals, including the World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, American Defense Medal, Medal for Human Action and the Korean Service Medal.
Following his retirement from the Navy, he worked for Lockheed Corp. in Sunnyvale, California, where he was assigned to be the lead machinist in the fabrication of the Poseidon Missile prototype.
He later lived in Lakeport with his son Jim and daughter-in-law Carol before deciding to move to the Veterans Home in Yountville. Dvorak stayed active, volunteering, bowling, working out in the gym, as well as reading many books and magazines.
Dvorak was a lifetime member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors’ Association and the Berlin US Military Veterans Association. He was highly respected for his work ethic, integrity and commitment to family.
He died on May 11, 2015.
The Pearl Harbor memorial mast in Library Park was Dave Meek’s project when he was president of the Lakeport Rotary Club in 2000.
The Pearl Harbor Survivors group, headed by honorary members Ronnie and Janeane Bogner, hosts the yearly event to honor all Pearl Harbor survivors.
The last local survivor, Bill Slater of Lakeport, died at age 93 on New Year’s Eve of 2017.
Three widows (called sweethearts) survive: World War II Navy nurse Alice Darrow (husband Dean), Charlotte Bower (husband Chuck) and Vanya Leighton (husband Fred).
“In spite of there being no living Pearl Harbor Survivors left in Lake County, we will never forget the men and women who served,” the association said.