Our county’s first to fight

The Poplar Bluff Museum tells many unknown tales of our community. I want to tell you some of those hidden tales found within the museum walls.

“Air raid Pearl Harbor, this is no drill!” was the alarm that went nationwide Dec. 7, 1941. “A day that will live in Infamy.” America was at war. The battleships USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, USS West Virginia and the USS California were on fire and sinking.

Arlie Glen Keener was serving on board the USS California that morning. The great battleship was struck by two torpedoes below its armor belt. They were followed by a bomb that penetrated the armor plated deck. The subsequent fire on board disabled the electrical system, preventing the pumps from keeping the ship afloat. The USS California slowly filled with water and sank three days later. 98 men were killed in the attack, Keener included.

Keener was from Butler County and graduated high school in 1935. The high school principal R.P. Sullivan described him as “a mighty fine young man, a prince of a fellow.” Keener joined the Army after graduation. He served three years in the cavalry at Fort Riley Kansas. After his enlistment ended, he attended business college in Chillicothe, Missouri. In 1939 he returned to the military, this time enlisting in the Navy. Keener shipped out to the Pacific Fleet in January 1940. He was only 27 years old when he was killed. Keener was laid to rest in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. A memorial was also placed in his honor in the Butler County Black River Cemetery. Keener was our first hero of the war.

One month later, on Jan. 8, 1942, Don Baily Bristow gave his life fighting in the Philippines. Don was the first serviceman from the city of Poplar Bluff to be lost in World War II.

Bristow and Keener’s photos are proudly displayed in the Poplar Bluff Museum Hall of Heroes. Bristow’s Purple Heart is on display in the World War II exhibit. Poplar Bluff later named a street in his honor.

The museum is handicap accessible and open free of charge 1-4 p.m. Sunday at 1010 Main St. Tell them Mike sent you.

Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and board member for the Poplar Bluff Museum.