The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Death of Oldest Pearl Harbor Veteran, Clayton Schenkelberg

From the April 26, 2021,  People "'Outstanding' Navy 'Hero,' Thought to be oldest American who survived  Pearl Harbor, dies at 103" by Rachel  DeSantis.

Clayton Schenkelberg had a 30-year Navy career.  He was 24 on December 7, 1941 and died April 14, 2021.

He recalled that he was just 10 minutes shy of  ending his shift as a Navy torpedoman that day.  He was looking forward to spending the rest of the day with his girlfriend Alithea, whom he married a year later.

As the attack unfolded, he volunteered to move a  train from an area  that was loaded with 550 pounds of explosives that would be extremely dangerous if hit.

There is no register of how many Pearl Harbor survivors are still alive, but it is estimated to be less than 100.

He died in San Diego and his burial will be May 6.

--GreGen

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