Herman Schmidt Wasn't Only Wyoming Native on USS Oklahoma: Walter Becker-- Part 1

From the January 3, 2023, K-2 (Wyoming) "Late Casper resident survived USS Oklahoma attack, founded fire truck company" by Tom Morton.

Sheridan native Herman Schmidt was the only Wyoming resident on the battleship USS Oklahoma when it was sunk on December 7, 1941.

Longtime Casper resident Walter Becker, founder of the Becker Fire Equipment Company, was also aboard.

Becker was doing laundry in the engine room when the torpedoes hit.  He ran up four or five flights of stairs and jumped off just as the ship began capsizing.

He swam under then harbor's surface which was covered with burning oil and then picked up by a raft, reached the shore, then went back to the Oklahoma where he and others drilled through the ship's hull in an attempt to find other survivors.

After a couple days it became apparent that no one was left alive in the hull.

--GreGen