Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Dead Page-- Pearl Harbor Survivor-- Pete Deletkanich

Pete Deletkanich

USS California Survivor

Pete Deletkanich was on board the USS California that fateful day in December when the ship sank after being hit by 4 Japanese torpedoes.

He said he was sitting down to breakfast when "all hell broke loose. The Japanese came out of nowhere.....I looked out the window of the foremast and a Japanese plane passed alongside about 25 feet away. I could see the pilot's face. Right after the plane passed, I saw the Pennsylvania take a hit."

After the California was hit, he was ordered to abandon ship and jumped over the side and swam the 500 feet to Ford Island. "I was a pretty good swimmer, but it was the longest swim of my life.

He died February 27th.

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