USS Oklahoma Survivors in Oklahoma Down to One

From the Aug. 30, 2010, Tulsa (Ok) World "USS Oklahoma survivors down to one."

EDWARD VEZEY, 90, is thought to be the last USS Oklahoma Pearl Harbor survivor from Oklahoma.

On August 12th, IRA WILLIAMS, JR, 96, died. It is believed that nationwide there are still about 25 to 30 survivors of the ship still living.

PAUL GOODYEAR of the USS Oklahoma Family, Inc., says, "It won't be long before there's none of us left. A total of about 20 Pearl Harbor Survivors are still alive in Oklahoma.

IRA WILLIAMS was from Kansas and served in the Navy from 1940 to 1946. At Pearl Harbor that day, he saw an airplane drop something then hear the call to man battle stations. "The torpedo went into the deck below me and exploded. I was knocked out by the concussion. When I came to, I was on the side of the ship as she was rolling, but I don't remember going topside."

He swam to the USS Maryland where he helped fight off Japanese planes.

EDWARD VEZEY was an anti-aircraft gunner on the Oklahoma. His buddy FRANK FLAHERTY went to one of the ship's turrets and won a Medal of Honor. he remained in the turret holding a flashlight to let others escape as the ship was roiling over.

GreGen