101-Year-Old USS Oklahoma Survivor Returns for 80th "Let 'Em Puff the Cigarettes'

I will be writing about Pearl Harbor in seven of my eight blogs today.  This story began in my Saw the Elephant: Civil War blog and my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog.

After the attack, David Russell, 101, and two others went to Ford Island in search for a bathroom.  While there,  they found a dispensary and  enlisted quarters that had been turned into  a triage center and a place  of refuge for hundreds of wounded.  They found  horribly burned sailors lining the walls. Many would die in the hours an d days ahead.

"Most of them wanted a cigarette, and I didn't smoke at the time, but, I got a pack of cigarettes and some matches.  I lit their cigarettes for them," said Russell.  "You feel for these guys, but I couldn't do anything.  Just light a cigarette for 'em and let 'em puff the cigarettes."

Russell still thinks about how lucky he was.  He ponders why he decided to go topside on the Oklahoma, knowing that most of the men who remained behind likely were unable to get out after the hatch was closed.

In the first two days after the attack, a civilian crew from the shipyard rescued 32 men trapped  inside the ship by cutting holes in its upturned hull.  But the rest perished.  Most of those who died in the Oklahoma were buried anonymously in Honolulu graves and listed as unknowns because their remains were too degraded  to be identified by the time they were removed from the ship between 1942 and 1943.

--GreGen

Two More USS Oklahoma (Pearl Harbor) Unknowns Identified

From the December 5, 2020, Lexington (Nebraska) Clipper Herald.

In 2015, the decision was made to disinter the remains of the USS Oklahoma Unknowns and use DNA to identify those buried in the mass communal graves.  So far, 242 have been identified, but not Ray Pentica (see today's post in the Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog).

One of those found was Grant Cook, Jr. of Cozad, Nebraska.  In fact, 22 of the sailors and Marines who died on the Oklahoma on December 7, 1941, were from Nebraska.

Remains of the Oklahoma's Unknowns continue to be identified.  Just  this past November 24, two brothers who died on the ship, Harold Trapp and William Trapp were accounted for through DNA testing.

--Pearl Harbor

About Those Model Battleships

From the April 25, 2017, Shorpy Photo site "Fireside Cats: 1955."

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1955.  A boy and girl are posing in front of the home's fireplace.  She is holding a car, but the boy is proudly holding a battleship model.

I couldn't tell what model battleship it was, but a comment said it was definitely an Iowa-class battleship and that these were very popular with American boys at the time.  He described these warships as the "last and best true battleships built by the U.S. Navy.  Everything about them is superlative."

I always remember seeing a picture of the hull of the Oklahoma after it was uprighted.  It was tied up next to the new USS Iowa, which dwarfed the older battleship.

As proud as the boy was, he had not done a perfect job putting it together.

I was just four at the time so would have been unable to build a battleship model, but model ships were my favorite things to build by far.  Other friends of mine liked to build model planes or cars, but my forte was ships.

I built models of the Arizona, North Carolina and several of the Missouri, including a huge one.

Give Me a Battleship Model Anytime.  --Cooter

A Pearl Harbor Survivor Remembered-- Part 2

On the USS Oklahoma, Finch Stowell became the chief fire controller and an expert on artillery.

He was sleeping below deck that fateful day. His ship was hit by three torpedoes. The loudspeaker blared "Air Raid! Air Raid! This is a real attack, real planes, real bombs."

Lights went out and men were scrambling blindly. Two more torpedoes slammed into the stricken ship and it began to list (turn) over.

Finch's widow recalls him saying, "The planes were so low, they could see the Japanese pilots waving at them just taunting them."

The Oklahoma continued to list. Stowell was outside a porthole, pulling sailors to safety, while another sailor was inside the ship pushing. Stowell remembered Petty officer 1st Class Stephen Pepe being too big to get through the porthole. The petty officer gave up and left and was never seen again.

Twelve minutes after the first torpedoes struck, te Oklahoma stopped listing with its superstructure in the harbor mud. Stowell and the others dived into the oil-covered water and were picked up by a craft. then he helped pull others out.

He was later assigned to the USS Mayford.

Just One of the Vanishing Stories. --DaCoot

A Pearl Harbor Survivor Remembered-- Part 1

And there certainly will be a lot of that as we get near tomorrow, the 70th anniversary of the "Day of Infamy."

From the Peoria (Il) Journal Star "Luciano: Pearl Harbor survivor wanted others to remember" by James Luciano.

Finch Stowell remembers the final twelve minutes of the USS Oklahoma when he and others rushed to rescue shipmates. Many died inside the ship as it capsized.

Mr. Stowell died last summer at age 91, something that is happening to more and more Pearl Harbor survivors and World War II veterans as well.

Of 60,000 survivors of the attack, only some 3,000 are alive now.

Stowell had just turned 22 four days before the attack. He had not planned on being a sailor. Raised on a farm outside Peoria, his family ad wanted him to go to college, but the Depression was on and they couldn't afford the tuition.

He couldn't find any regular job in two years after high school, so did what many did, joined the military. In Stowell's case, he enlisted in the Navy in 1939.

More to Come. --Cooter

Pearl Harbor Veterans

As we approach the 70th anniversary of the Day of Infamy in three weeks, many of these people are leaving us unfortunately.



From the Nov. 11th Whidby News Times.

Pearl Harbor veterans were telling their stories:

CECIL CALAVAN-- on the USS Utah and survived because he was shaving. The place he had been at was struck by a torpedo right after he left to perform this daily chore. He ended up swimming to shore.

JAMES STANSELL-- was 18 at the time. "I was scared to death but I did manage to look everywhere, and everywhere there was an explosion."

HAROLD JOHNSON-- was 17 at the time on the USS Oklahoma and had a date with a young lady that day. The worst part of the attack was afterwards "hauling oil-covered men into boats, responding to a multitude of false alarms and curling up in the mess hall to try to sleep." Obviously, no date for the young man.

Sad to Be Losing These Brave Souls.

USS Oklahoma's Mast Finally Back Home-- Part 2

Well, it was never actually there in the first place, but it has returned to its namesake state.

From the July 11th Muskogee Phoenix.

The two Pearl Harbor survivors spoke. Ed Vesey, who had been on the Oklahoma in the attack said, "We're kind of crusty and rusty and have barnacles, too. It was a wonderful, happy ship. A good ship with great food." He continued saying people would come to the Oklahoma just to eat.

Arles Cole said he survived the attack because of a dud bomb. "I was on the third deck and I saw water coming into the third deck below. I was knocked to my knees and everything went black. I was entombed in oil and water." He also recalled finding a hole overhead made by the 500-pound did bomb. "I put the flag up while the battle was still raging...."

After the war, the Oklahoma was raised and sold for scrap, but it sunk in a storm while being towed to California.

Quite a few Oklahomans were involved in getting the mast, including state representative George Faught, Rodney Mish and Dr. Judy Morty.

A 120 square-foot building is planned to protect the mast and for displays on the ship's history.

Everyone Always Hears About the Arizona So It's Great That People Are Now aware of the Tragedy on the Oklahoma. --Cooter

USS Oklahoma's Mast Finally Back in Oklahoma-- Part 1

A 40-foot section of the USS Oklahoma's mast, lost at the bottom of Pearl Harbor ever since that fateful day in 1941, and recovered during dredging of the harbor in 2006, has now found its way back to its namesake's land, at the USS Batfish Memorial Park in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma lost 429 crew members during the Japanese attack.

Today, it is covered with barnacles and rust, but back on December 7, 1941, it proudly flew the US flag. A ceremony was held July 10th.

Three veterans were given pieces of it at the ceremony:

Ed Vesey of Moore, was a gunnery officer on the Oklahoma.
Arles Cole of Tulsa was on the USS West Virginia and is president of the Pearl harbor Survivors of Oklahoma.
Donald Ritz served on the Oklahoma from 1936-1937.

From the July 11th Tulsa World and July 11th Muskogee Phoenix.

More to Come. --Cooter

USS Oklahoma Sailor Identified and Laid to Rest

From the April 14th USA Today.

Gerald Lehman had just turned 18 after enlisting in the US Navy after graduating from high school at 17 and having his father sign for him so he could join.

He sent letters home and the DNA from the envelopes seal that he licked was used to identify his bones which were exhumed from the National Cemetery of the Pacific at Oahu's Punch Bowl.

The Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command positively identified his remains 68 years after he died aboard the capsized USS Oklahoma. Nuclear DNA was used.

Here are some excerpts from letters he wrote home and the Navy.

SEPTEMBER 9, 1941-- Gerald was aboard the Oklahoma and working in the starboard pump room "All I do is turn a lot of valves...I am studying to take an exam to be a fireman second class, which pays $54 per month."

OCTOBER 12, 1941-- They were out of dry dock and on trial runs going out to sea and "probably Honolulu."

-- At sea for 11 days and near Hawaii. Couldn't go into port because of a 15-day patrol.

DECEMBER 21, 1941 Western Union telegram.

"The Navy Department deeply regrets to inform you that your Gerald George Lehman, fireman third class US Navy is missing in action in the performance of his duties and in the service of his country."

FEBRUARY 17, 1942 Western Union telegram.

"After exhaustive search it has been found impossible to locate your son, Gerald George Lehman."

His remains were laid to rest yesterday. Now, he is no longer listed as an unknown.

A Day That Still Lives in Infamy. --Cooter

USAT Willard A. Holbrook

On December 7th, I wrote about South Dakotan William Gese who was on the transport Willard A. Holbrook at Pearl Harbor and had attended Mass on the the USS Oklahoma one week to the day before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

I did some follow up research on the US Army Transport Willard A. Holbrook. It was built by the Bethlehem Steel Company at Sparrows Point, Maryland in 1921 and originally named the Buckeye State. It weighed 14,123 tons, was 517 feet long, 72feet wide and had a top speed of 16 knots. The US Shipping Board ordered it.

The Buckeye State was transferred to US authorities in 1923 and renamed the President Taft. In 1940, it was again transferred to Army Transportsn 1940 and got its third name, the Willard A. Holbrook.

On December 7, 1941, it was part of a convoy with 8 other ships heading for the Philippines. The main ship was the heavy cruiser USS Pensacola and the convoy was known as the Pensacola Convoy. Upon hearing news of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the convoy was rerouted to Australia.

It took part in Pacific operations throughout the war.

After the war, it was sold and operated for the rest of its career as the Armin W. Leuschner until it was scrapped in Baltimore in 1957.

From Wikipedia which also has an article on the Pensacola Convoy.

What's in a Name? --Cooter

On the Oklahoma a Week Before the Attack

From the December 7th American News (SD) "Pearl Harbor remembered: area man on USS Oklahoma week before attack."

William B. Gese of Mina Lake had a close brush with destiny when his ship tied up next to the USS Oklahoma and then he attended church services on board the doomed vessel exactly one week before the attack.

Gese, a native of Aberdeen, was a member of the 147th Field Artillery and sailing on the transport Willard A. Holbrook. Upon arrival at Pearl Harbor November 27th, they moored next to the Oklahoma.

On Sunday, the 30th, Gese and other Catholics aboard the Holbrook attended Mass aboard the Oklahoma because their ship only had a Protestant chaplain. No doubt, some of the sailors at the Mass were among the 429 who died the following week. The Oklahoma was the first battleship hit by a torpedo and the ship turned turtle.

The Holbrook, the former World War I troop ship, the USS Taft, left port the following day, heading for the Philippines. They heard news of the attack en route and changed course and zig-zagged to Brisbane, Australia. They also painted their ship battleship gray.


Mr. Gese spent the rest of the war in the South Pacific. Before the war, he had been in refrigeration, and at one time he recalls working on General Douglas MacArthur's cooler. He didn't meet the general, but helped himself to fresh strawberries.

According to the article, there are currently eleven registered Pearl Harbor Survivor plates issued to South Dakota drivers.

The Greatest Generation. --Cooter

Pearl Harbor-- USS Oklahoma

The Dec. 6, 2008, LaCrosse (Wi) Tribune.

Don "Dutch" Albitz was a nineteen year old gunner on the USS Oklahoma in Battleship Row and had just come from Mass "when all of a sudden this plane came in real low.

The officer of the deck looked up and said, 'My God, those are Japs.' We were getting hit right and left by (aeriel) torpedoes. When the Oklahoma started to list, the word came to abandon ship." He jumped into the oil-covered water. "You couldn't swim in it. I was tired and fatigued." The crew of a small boat pulled him and other survivors and took them to the USS Maryland.

Four LaCrosse residents died in the attack: Helmar Hanson, Daryl Hess, and George Naegle of the Navy, and Lee Amundson of the Marine Corps. Albitz knew all of them except Hanson.

He had talked to Hess and Naegle the night before the attack. Hess, who was on the Arizona, said he'd just gotten married. Naegle was a signal man on the Oklahoma and had been on night watch before the attack began and asleep where a torpedo hit.

After Pearl Harbor, Albitz was assigned to the light cruiser USS Helena which had been damaged during the attack. It went to California for repairs where he got a ten-day emergency leave and went home. Next, he went to Norfolk and was assigned to the crew of the new USS Indiana and served on that battleship until 1945.

To this day, he refuses to buy any Japanese products.

Pearl Harbor

I am attempting to get as many Pearl Harbor stories as I can collect before it is too late.

Tjhe December 6, 2008, LaCrosse (Wi) Tribune, had an article about Don "Dutch" Albitz, who was on the USS Oklahoma when the attack began. He had just come from Mass "when all of a sudden this plane came in real low." He was a 19-year-old gunner at the time.

"The officer of the deck looked up an said, 'My God, those are Japs.' We were getting hit right and left by (aeriel) torpedoes. When the the Oklahoma started to list, the order came to abandon ship." He jumped into the water covered with fuel oil. "You couldn't swim in it. I was tired and fatigued."

The crew of a small boat pulled him and other survivors out, and took them to the USS Maryland.

Four LaCrosse residents died in the attack: Helmar Hanson, Daryl Hess, and George Naegle Of the Navy, and Lee Amundson, of the Marines. He had talked to Hess and Naegle the night before the attack. Hess, of the USS Arizona had told him that he had just gotten married.

To Be Continued. --Coot

USS Oklahoma Memorial Painting Unveiled

The October 9th Oklahoman reports that two Pearl harbor survivors, Ed Vezey of Colorado and Paul Goodyear of Arizona, were at the Oklahoma state capitol yesterday and unveiled a painting of the new Oklahoma memorial by OKC artist Christopher Nick. Both of these former USS Oklahoma sailors led efforts to get the long overdue memorial.

Lisa Ridge, a teacher from Indiana lost her grandfather, Paul Nash, and found out that one of the columns at the memorial is for him.

Eugene Wicker also attended the ceremony. His uncle, radio operator Eugene Wicker, gave the first warning to "man your battle stations."

Unfortunately, I have not been able to view this painting yet in any sources. They say the picture of the sailor in the clouds is particularly inspiring.

Let Us Never forget. --Cooter

Pearl Harbor Vets Remember that Fateful Day-- Part 2

Continuing with the USS Oklahoma Survivors Reunion in Oklahoma City.


FIRST WW II MESSAGE?

GERALD HALTERMAN, 87, of Farmingham, Massachusetts, had served seventeen months on the USS Oklahoma before being assigned to naval headquarters on land and was on the midnight watch Dec. 7th. He typed a message to headquarters from the USS Ward that reported seeing seeing a submarine in Pearl Harbor and dropping depth charges on it. "I think I typed the first message of World War II."

He had just gotten off duty and back to his room when he heard loud explosions and the attack had begun. "They were using our building to make a left turn and fly down on the ships."


ED VEZEY, 88, of Center, Colorado, a USS Oklahoma survivor, said that he later talked with the commander of the USS Ward who told him, "At 4 o'clock in the morning, I'm already sinking subs and nobody is paying any attention to me."

Before Dec. 7th, Americans had standing orders to fire on any vessel entering operational areas that didn't respond to challenge.

From June 26th Oklahoman.

More to Come. --Cooter

Pearl Harbor Vets Remember That Fateful Day

As we honor the seventh anniversary of death of 3000 innocent Americans on 9-11, this article is very appropriate about another one of those fateful days so ingrained in our collective conscious.

This was from the June 28th Oklahoman, by John Greiner. "Vets recall fateful day in Hawaii."

Just seven former members of the USS Oklahoma made it to the reunion in Oklahoma City this year. There are an estimated 85 survivors altogether.


GEORGE A. SMITH, "I was running like hell to my battle station. I didn't go anywhere." he saw a Japanese pilot turn his plane and come in straight toward the USS Oklahoma, drop his torpedo, and wave goodbye.

He finally got to his battle station, but didn't know how to operate the 5-inch gun.

PAUL GOODYEAR, 90, of Casa Grande, Arizona, was there. His efforts played a major role in the establishment of the USS Oklahoma Memorial to the 429 crew members who died that day.

BILL HENDLEY, 88, of Wilmington, NC, served on the ship from 1937 to November 1941 and was transferred to New Jersey. From there, he shipped off to the European Theatre and served on a ship that took part in the invasions of Italy at Salerno and Anzio.

More to Come... --Cooter

USS Oklahoma Dead Identified

A touching story comes out of Hawaii this week. According to the September 4th Honolulu Advertiser, the Department of defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced that the Remains of three servicemen who died on the USS Oklahoma when Pearl Harbor was attacked have been identified and their remains will be returned to their families.

They are Ensign Irvin A. R. Thompson of Hudson County, New Jersey; Ensign Eldon D. Wyman of Portland, Oregon; and Fireman 2nd Class Lawrence A. Boxrucker of Dorchester, Wisconsin. His service will be September 6th in Dorchester and arrangements are being made for the others.


USS OKLAHOMA

When the Oklahoma capsized, 421 men died. Thirty-six were identified and 329 were buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

In 2003, an independent researcher contacted the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command saying that one of the unknown could positively be identified and the casket was exhumed. It was discovered that the remains of at least 28 other men as well as the three identified were in the casket. I don't understand how all those remains would be buried in the same casket so am a bit confused by the last part.


This Has to be a Great Comfort for the Families of These Three Men. --Cooter

Oklahoma Survivor George Brown-- Part 2

Continuing with the story from April 14th. Oklahoma survivor George Brown.

"If was hydraulic operated. I saw that it was open. I told the guys in there, 'You guys can stay in here if you want to, but I'm getting the hell out of here!'
"So I got over there and there on the ladder you have to wiggle yourself around because you had a space where maybe it opened about 12 inches. Squeezed up through there, so it's good to be short, slim and agile....I got through there."

But a lot of the cooks couldn't fit through the small space. Brown swam halfway across the oil-covered bay before being pulled up by a rescue boat.

He served the rest of the war on the USS Worden, a destroyer, and was at both the Battle of Coral Sea and Midway. He became a career Navy man and also served in the Korean War. From 1957-1961 he lived in Henderson, Ky., and was in charge of Naval recruiting in the Owensboro area.

His wife Alice grew up in Hawaii where they now live and can see Pearl Harbor from their house.

THE OKLAHOMA MEMORIAL

The Memorial has the names of all 429 shipmates engraved in granite who died that day. In George's words, "That was the most horrible scene you can ever think of. Shipmates there and you can't help them."

It was made possible by donations from Oklahoma corporations, foundations and residents.

Oklahoma survivor Paul Goodyear, Oklahoma Senator Jim Reynolds and graphic artist Kevin King spearheaded efforts to get the memorial.

Of interest, Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, the commander of the US Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor that day was from Henderson, Kentucky.

Today, there are fewer than 100 Oklahoma survivors ranging in age from mid-80s to 94.

Well-Desreved, Albeit Later Than it Should Have Been. --Old Coot

Oklahoma Survivor George Brown

George Brown of Henderson, Ky, was at the Dec. 7, 2007 ceremoney to dedicate the USS Oklahoma Memorial. The $1.2 million memorial consisting of 429 white columns, each 7 feet tall and 120 pounds represent each of the crewmembers who died that day.

The portside of the Oklahoma was ripped open 250 feet and within 20 minutes it rolled over and sank.

Brown's life was saved "by the Grace of God" and the fact that at 5'4' and 100 pounds, he was small. He had just finished writing a letter to his mom when, "I heard general quarters. Naturally, I hurried to my battle station. I got there and got set up. I wasn't there ten minutes and I felt a torpedo hit, andd then another one, and when the fourth one hit, it hit 20 to 30 feet from where I was.

At the time, Brown was a 20 year old ship's cook and was in the belly of the Oklahoma. "The lights went out, the speakers went out, and they would come back on a few minutes at a time. There was an armored hatch right over us. The damage control party had gone through and they left the hatch because they couldn't close it all the way or couldn't open it."

To Be Continued... Cooter