West Virginia
USS West Virginia sailor killed during Pearl Harbor attack to be buried in California, WVU to host annual ceremony – WV MetroNews
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A sailor killed serving on board the USS West Virginia during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor will be laid to rest on the same day a tribute will take place at the ship’s mast.
Ohio native and Navy Fireman 2nd Class William Kubinec will be buried Friday in the Northern California Veterans Cemetery shortly after the start of West Virginia University’s annual Pearl Harbor Day ceremony that will take place in Morgantown.
Kubinec’s relatives are expected to be in attendance for the California ceremony after his remains were identified as part of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency program. Kubinec is remembered as someone who always put others ahead of himself.
Coming from a working family when times were hard, his niece Kathie Svoboda said one year when his family didn’t have a Christmas he asked the principal and was permission to take the school tree home.
“The last day of school before Christmas vacation, he went to the principal if he could take the Christmas tree home to his family, because they didn’t have a Christmas tree,” said Kubinec’s niece Kathie Svoboda discussing her family’s memories of her uncle. “So he carried the tree home so his family could have a Christmas tree,” she said.
Kubinec was killed on the USS West Virginia when the battleship was struck by six torpedoes during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He was among 106 other sailors that died during the attack that resulted in the ship sinking on an even keel, leading to its eventual return to service. As a Navy fireman who worked on the mechanics of the ship even as it was sinking, Kubinec was among many who gave their lives to make sure their fellow seamen could survive, but also to give the ship a chance of still being salvageable.
“From what I understand, the guys working in the engine room controlled flooding, and they sacrificed themselves so it would go straight down,” said Svoboda. “And not list over into ships beside it or into the sailors who were flung into the water from the explosion,” she said.
Kubinec will be buried at the Northern California Veterans Cemetery on Friday starting at 2 p.m.
The annual Pearl Harbor Day ceremony hosted at WVU will take place outside of Oglebay Hall, where the original mast and bell of the USS West Virginia are located. The event will be hosted by the WVU Center for Veteran, Military, and Family Programs, where they will be joined by keynote speaker retired U.S. Army Major George Davis and members of the WVU ROTC.
“He was commissioned as a military intelligence officer, and then he was selected to attend flight school,” said WVU Center for Veteran, Military, and Family Programs Director Penny Lipscomb, listing Davis’ accomplishments. “So he did a couple of tours in Vietnam, and then also he was stationed in the Pentagon for a couple of years and in Korea, where he flew along the DMZ,” she said.
Davis, who is currently the commander for Chapter 45 of the Disabled American Veterans in North Central West Virginia, will have his remarks followed by a traditional 21-gun salute that will be fired by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 548 and Post 9916. The USS West Virginia bell will also be rung to pay tribute to the 106 sailors who died during the attack on Pearl Harbor. For those wishing to pay respects, it will be free to attend and will take place outside of Oglebay Hall rain or shine.
“I think we should all remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, I think it’s not done enough,” Lipscomb said.
The ceremony will take place on Friday starting at 10 a.m.
— Story by David Walsh, Photo gallery by Will Wotring
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Divisions I and II are going as expected after Thursday night’s opening round in the 78th West Virginia High School State Wrestling Tournament at Mountain Health Network Arena. University, seeking a third straight large school title, and Parkersburg found themselves in the top two in the standings on a night dominated by pins as No. 1 seeds would beat up on No. 4 seeds.
University started the event minus two competitors. One did not make weight and the other, who won a state title a year ago, is not competing as he’s recovering from a football injury.
One competitor delivering big for the Hawks is Maximus Fortier, a junior who transferred in from Fairmont Senior. While there, he won the state title as a freshman at 144 with a final record of 41-1. He competes at 165 now and is 36-2 after winning with a first-round pin Thursday night.
“Come down, support the team and try to win,” Fortier said of his battle plan. “Wrestle the way we know how.”
Fortier and the Hawks won the Ron Mauck OVAC title, the WSAZ Invitational and West Virginia Duals during the season. He competed in two major tournaments as well. He went 2-2 in the Ironman and won his weight class in the Powerade Tournament which attracts the top teams in the nation.
“Wasn’t ready,” he said about the Ironman. “Did my thing at Powerade. It was big.”
Fortier said support at his new school grows every day.
“They treat me like family,” he said.
Strategy for the State Tournament is simple.
“Wrestle the way we know how to wrestle,” Fortier said.
University capitalized on a strong finish in the heavier weights and leads with 47 points. Parkersburg, which finished second here last year, trails with 39.5. Cabell Midland is third with 37.5 and Huntington fourth with 32.5.
Ripley is in year two in Division II. The Vikings placed sixth a year ago. They came to town as the Region 4 winner and qualified 11 with nine taking first and the other two second. Ripley leads after Thursday with 38 points thanks to wins by pin or major fall. Independence is second with 27 and Keyser third with 25.5. Cameron is the leader in Division III with 16 points.
The tournament continues Friday with sessions at 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, the girls have their state with action starting at 8 a.m. The boys begin at 10:30.
Championship finals are Saturday night at 6:30. Wrestlers are now seeded prior to the tournament and the pill breaks deadlocks.
During the season, Ripley won the West Virginia Duals, beat Herbert Hoover twice, Point Pleasant and also got wins over Parkersburg South and Huntington.
Losing to Kansas State wiped away all hope for West Virginia to make the NCAA Tournament. That seems to be the clear consensus in the Mountain State, but is there actually still a chance? Well, I guess so.
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi still has West Virginia listed as a team to consider, the second team outside of the “next four out” grouping.
Lunardi’s current NCAA Tournament bubble
Last Four Byes: Missouri, Texas A&M, Texas, Ohio State
Last Four In: SMU, Santa Clara, New Mexico, Indiana
First Four Out: VCU, Auburn, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati
Next Four Out: San Diego State, USC, California, Seton Hall
Next: Stanford, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona State
How is this even possible?
Short answer? I don’t really know.
My best guess as to why? Two things: the respect for the Big 12 and the opportunities left on the table, and two, an incredibly weak bubble.
Should West Virginia beat UCF on Friday, it will give the Mountaineers a 9-9 record in Big 12 play. That’s not as much of a guarantee to make the dance as having a winning record, but still, it’s an impressive mark, especially when, in this instance, they would have wins over Kansas, BYU, and sweeps over Cincinnati and UCF.
If you ask me, they still have too many bad losses for it to matter. I mean, even if they got red-hot out of nowhere and made it to the Big 12 championship game next week, is that enough? Potentially, but that’s a big IF.
The one thing WVU does have on its side is the number of Quad 1 wins, which they have five of. Virtually every other team in college basketball that has a minimum of five Quad 1 victories is expected to make the tournament. In that previously mentioned scenario, they would add at least one more Quad 1 win in the conference tournament, giving the committee something to think about.
The bubble is just incredibly weak, though. Like, how in the world is Auburn, who is 16-14 currently, the second team out of the field? Cincinnati, which WVU swept and has the same record as, is the fourth team in the “first four out” grouping.
At this point, the only path I see is for the Mountaineers to cut down the nets in Kansas City — good luck with that. We could be having a very different conversation if they didn’t lallygag their way through the first 30 minutes of the games against Utah and Kansas State.
Buckle up, Upshur County. Starting Friday, March 6, law enforcement officers across West Virginia will step up seatbelt enforcement as part of a statewide Click It or Ticket campaign running through March 23.
The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) announced the high-visibility mobilization as a warm-up to the national seatbelt campaign in May. The goal is to ensure every occupant — front seat or back, driver or passenger — is buckled on every trip.
“During this mobilization, law enforcement officers across West Virginia will be out in full force. They will be strictly ticketing drivers who are unbuckled or who are transporting children not properly restrained in car seats,” said Jack McNeely, Director of the GHSP.
The numbers behind the campaign are sobering. In 2023, 40% of passenger vehicle occupants killed in West Virginia crashes were unrestrained. The state’s seatbelt usage rate has also slipped — from 91.9% in 2024 to 91.6% in 2025.
Rural drivers face elevated risk despite a common assumption that country roads are safer. In 2023, 65% of the state’s traffic fatalities occurred in rural areas, compared to 35% in urban centers.
Under West Virginia law, wearing a seatbelt is required. A citation carries a $25 fine, though McNeely says the real point isn’t the penalty.
“Click It or Ticket isn’t about the citations; it’s about saving lives,” he said. “A ticket is a wake-up call. It is far less expensive than the alternative — paying with your life or the lives of your family and friends.”
For more information about the West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program, visit highwaysafety.wv.gov or call 304-926-2509.
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