Remembering Arthur Embretson
During World War One, the United States first recognized gold star families, families who lost a member during war time. In Sherburne County, the only gold star family in the area of Big Lake came with the death of Arthur Embretson in 1918. Serving aboard the U.S.S. Cyclops, Embretson was one of 306 sailors lost when the ship sank in March 1918. Because of failed radio transmissions, the exact location of the ship was lost for many years. The ship could have been captured or sunk as it sailed along the North Carolina coast. The exact cause of the sinking remained inconclusive, although maritime experts believe the Cyclops had been overloaded and storms in the Atlantic Ocean caused the ship to founder or break apart. The sinking of the Cyclops remains the single largest loss of life aboard a United states naval ship not directly involved in combat. Before he enlisted in the navy in 1917, Arthur Bernard Embretson left a small mark...