Black granite single memorial.

Bronze veterans marker with flag background

Plaque made for basketball awards

Vinson, Oklahoma has a colorful history; one of great triumph and trial. Vinson was one of the first settlements in southwest Oklahoma, in what once was considered Greer County, Texas. In 1904, the town was thriving until lightening struck and most of the buildings burned. The town was rebuilt along Highway 9, which was called “The Trail.” It was a farming community, relying mostly on cotton crops. By 1925, it was a bustling community of 400 to 500 people, recalls JB Chambers, a local farmer who grew up in Vinson.

On December 7, 1941, the USS Oklahoma was attacked and sank at Pearl Harbor. In all, 429 Sailors and Marines were killed. The ship was re-floated in 1943, but sank somewhere in the Pacific as it was being towed. The 10-ton anchor was recovered and brought to Oklahoma City, where it resides today. This anchor and historical monument stand as a reminder of those that died on the USS Oklahoma during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The following text is the inscription on the front of the historical marker that stands next to the anchor.