EVANSTON — Military members and some of the community turned out on Friday, June 16, to honor the service and life of Jim Trout at his funeral. Trout died on Sunday, June 11.

Jim Trout was Uinta County’s last surviving prisoner of war and a Purple Heart recipient, having been imprisoned in Romania for 90 days during WWII. He also weathered many other trials during his time in the Army Air Corps. He was a ball turret gunner on a B-17 that flew over the Ploesti oil fields and the Bucharest railyards and ball-bearing factories, according to the obituary written by his firstborn daughter, Connie Owen. 

The 11th and 12th missions, however, were ill-fated. On the 11th mission, the obituary states, the plane lost all four engines and crashed into the Adriatic Sea. 

At the funeral, Owen shared a story that Trout had told her about when he had to parachute out of his crashing plane. While in the air, he witnessed the crash of the plane he had been flying in only minutes before. 

He and the crew were rescued by British Air Rescue. 

And the following mission was also marked by disaster, as Trout’s plane was shot down over Romania. He was captured as a prisoner of war for 90 days and survived daily bombing in the prisoner of war camp until Romania surrendered and he was rescued.

Upon returning home in 1944, Trout married his sweetheart, Ruth Hartzell, whom he had met at an American Legion dance shortly before he enlisted. They had been married almost 73 years when he died. According to the obituary, Trout finished out his service at Hill Field in Ogden and was promoted to staff sergeant and awarded the Purple Heart. 

After he was discharged, Trout’s adventures had a different flavor. He owned a dairy and worked as an automobile mechanic and, in 1960, acquired the Union 76 station with Lamar Ashton, which he owned until he retired. He served in the Jaycees, enjoyed golf and participated in many other charities, organizations and hobbies. He and his wife, Ruth Trout, were also avid gardeners. 

Trout went to Romanian prisoner of war reunions with his daughters, where his family learned of his experiences.

Despite the dangers he survived in WWII, Trout outlived all three of his siblings, Clifford, Dean and Vernietta. 

During the service, youth from 4-H and from the Evanston Youth Club for Boys & Girls lined one of the nearby paths, standing and holding flags to honor Trout. The tribute was organized by the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. Trout’s funeral was also marked with brief speeches from both his daughters and two of his granddaughters. His wife, Ruth Trout, looked on during the proceedings. 

Trout was then given military honors, including the unfolding and refolding of an American flag, taps and a three-volley salute.