A Joint Project of the Sam Rayburn House Historic Site and the Fannin County Historical Commission
Celebrating America 250 with Spotlights of Fannin County Citizens Who Participated In or Witnessed Historical Events
Fannin County, Texas -- Born on October 27, 1920, in Bonham, TX, Earle W. Newton was the son of Lillan Wright and Samuel Newton.
Earle served in the Army Air Forces from September 1939 to 1944. He survived the Japanese military attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
The Imperial Japanese Navy moved six fleet carriers across 3,000 miles of the Pacific Ocean in secrecy, launching a surprise attack on American troops in Pearl Harbor that killed over 2,400 servicemembers and destroyed or damaged 19 warships and 300 aircraft within about an hour and a half. On December 8, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt gave his “Day of Infamy” speech to a joint session of Congress and over the radio. Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn was sitting behind Roosevelt during the speech. After Roosevelt ended his speech, Congress voted to declare war on the Empire of Japan.
Earle later took part in the Battle of Midway in June 1942, a battle many people considered a major turning point of WWII because it stopped Japanese expansion in the
Pacific Ocean and placed U.S. forces in a good position to begin removing Japanese influence in the Pacific.
Earle received several honors including the American Defense Ribbon with Star, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon, Victory Ribbon, the Pearl Harbor Commemorative Medal, and more.
On July 22, 1943, Earle married Mozelle Winferd McClure and the couple had two children. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, and the Central Baptist Church. Earle worked at the Veterans Administration for 30 years as the lead Building Management and Administrative Officer. He died at the Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center on December 4, 2001. He is buried in Willow Wild Cemetery, Plot N612, 4NW.
This information was obtained from the Fannin Co., Texas GenWeb (txfannin.org), and other online sources. The Sam Rayburn House SHS presented this information at their 2025 Cemetery Walking Tour. For a copy of the 2025 Cemetery Walking Tour guide or for other information, contact the Sam Rayburn House at (903) 583-5558 or email Margo.McCutcheon@thc.texas.gov.
