William Hokanson Jr.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 6, 1990, at the Seamen's Bethel for the Fairhaven father and son who were lost at sea aboard the Sol e Mar on March 25. William A. "Hokey" Hokanson Jr., 19, was the son of William A. "Hokey" Hokanson Sr. and Ellen M. (Correia) Hokanson-Ouellette of East Freetown. He was born in New Bedford and lived in South Carver until moving to Fairhaven. He was a communicant of St. Joseph Church.

He fished with his father on the Sol e Mar and owned his own boat, the Hokey II. He attended St. Joseph School in Fairhaven and was a 1989 graduate of Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational High School, marine industries. He was a four-year recipient of Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, and was a state finalist in his senior year. He played hockey for Fairhaven Youth Hockey and Rochester Youth Hockey. He was a four-year varsity player for his high school

His survivors include his mother; his stepfather, Edward G. Ouellette Jr., of East Freetown; a half-sister, Cheryl Best of New Bedford; his paternal grandmother, Sallie Hokanson of Acushnet; his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Correia Jr. of Fairhaven; and several aunts, uncles, cousins and two nieces.

On March 25, 1990, as the Sol E Mar was sinking off Martha's Vineyard, the crew was able to send a four-second distress call to the Coast Guard. Ninety seconds later, the Coast Guard received a hoax call and decided that the first call was not genuine. Only when the boat was reported missing on March 29 did the Coast Guard begin its search. Volunteers searching for the wreck found it a month later.

As a result of the incident, the Studds Act changed the Coast Guard's policy regarding distress calls, imposed a federal criminal penalty for making hoax calls, and upgraded Coast Guard equipment and the National Distress System.