Boston.com
At age 19, 19-year-old mess cook Joseph Thornton was on board the USS Curtiss, a new seaplane tender in Pearl Harbor that fateful December morning when the Japanese attacked.
He helped load the 50-caliber machine guns, but never forgot the chaos.
He died in January, and now, his ashes will be spread across the harbor near his battle station. His passing leaves 44 remaining Pearl Harbor Survivor Association members in Massachusetts. About 3,900 remain across the whole country.
His grand daughters will spread the ashes from Ford Island and a Navy Honor Guard will fire a 3-volley salute. A US flag that flew over the USS Utah Memorial will be presented to his family.
Mr. Thornton said that about twenty men died when a Japanese plane crashed into the Curtiss about 30 feet from where he stood.
He also was witness to the US Bikini Island atomic tests.
The Greatest Generation.
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