From the January 23, 2013, Mission Viejo Patch (Cal.) "Surviving Pearl Harbor" by Peter Schelden.
Howard Bender, 91, is one of five remaining Pearl Harbor survivors in Orange County. He joined the Navy right out of high school and sent to Pearl Harbor after boot camp where he was assigned to the USS Arizona before being transferred to the USS Maryland.
Mr. Bender remembers seeing the USS Oklahoma hit through a porthole.
When asked how he reacted, he replied, "It is not until after the fact when you check your shorts."
--GreGen
My Cooter's History Blog has become about 80% World War II anyway, so I figured to start a blog specific to it, especially since we're commemorating its 70th anniversary and we are quickly losing this "Greatest Generation." The quote is taken from Pearl Harbor survivor Frank Curre, who was on the USS Tennessee that day. He died Dec. 7, 2011, seventy years to the day. His photo is below at right.
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