Warren Upton, the last surviving crew member of the USS Utah, passed away at 105 after a bout of pneumonia. He was the oldest living survivor of the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Warren Upton, the oldest living survivor of the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the last remaining survivor of the USS Utah, has died at the age of 105. Upton died Wednesday at a hospital in Los Gatos after suffering a bout of pneumonia, said Kathleen Farley, the California state chair of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors. The Utah, a battleship, was moored at Pearl Harbor when Japanese planes began bombing the Hawaii naval base in the early hours of Dec.
7, 1941, in an attack that propelled the U.S. into World War II. Upton told The Associated Press in 2020 that he had been getting ready to shave when he felt the first torpedo hit the Utah. He recalled that no one on board knew what made the ship shake. Then, the second torpedo hit and the ship began to list and capsize. The then-22-year-old swam ashore to Ford Island, where he jumped in a trench to avoid Japanese planes strafing the area. He stayed for about 30 minutes until a truck came and took him to safety. Upton said he didn’t mind talking about what happened during the attack. Instead, what upset him was that he kept losing shipmates over the years. By 2020, there were only three crew members of the Utah still alive, including himself. There were an estimated 87,000 military personnel on Oahu on the day of the attack, according to military historian J. Michael Wenger. After Upton’s death, there are only 15 still alive
Pearl Harbor USS Utah World War II Survivor History
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Last Survivor of USS Utah in Pearl Harbor Attack Dies at 105Warren Upton, the oldest living survivor of the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the last remaining survivor of the USS Utah, passed away at 105. He recounted his harrowing experience of the attack, remembering the torpedo hits and his desperate swim to safety.
Read more »
Last Surviving Crew Member of USS Utah From Pearl Harbor Dies at 102Warren Upton, the last surviving crew member of the USS Utah, which was sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, has died at the age of 102. Upton, who was 22 at the time of the attack, recalled narrowly escaping the sinking ship and the subsequent strafing by Japanese planes. He remained dedicated to honoring the memory of his shipmates who perished in the attack.
Read more »
Pearl Harbor remembrance to feature speakers, WWII-era music on board USS Iowa in San PedroA Pearl Harbor remembrance event will take place from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 7, on the USS Iowa in San Pedro.
Read more »
USS Midway Museum holds ceremony for Pearl Harbor Remembrance DayYasmeen Ludy joined the ABC 10News team in Oct. 2024.
Read more »
African American Sailor Rescued from USS West Virginia During Pearl Harbor AttackDuring the Pearl Harbor attack, a small boat rescues an African American seaman from the burning USS West Virginia (BB-48). This event underscores the opportunities opened for African Americans in the Navy and Marine Corps, despite initial limitations.
Read more »
Last Utah Survivor from Pearl Harbor Attacks Dies at 100Warren Upton, the last surviving crew member of the USS Utah during the Pearl Harbor attacks, died at 100 from pneumonia. Upton was 22 years old when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, and he vividly recalled the chaos and terror of the event. He swam to safety after the ship was hit by torpedoes and capsized. Upton was determined to keep the memory of the attack and his shipmates alive.
Read more »