USS Arizona Survivor John Anderson Dies-- Part 2

John Anderson reported to his turret when the bomb hit the top of it, bounced off and penetrated the deck.  The resulting explosion killed many.  Shortly afterward,the forward magazine blew up with 1.5 million pounds of gunpowder.  This was killed the Arizona.

He was forced to board a boat to Ford Island, but came back to his ship to search for Jake.  After not finding his brother and now wounded, he swam back to the island.  Once there, he grabbed a rifle and two bandoliers of ammunition, jumped into a bomb crater and thought to himself, "Let 'em come."

A Marine patrol told him that survivors of the USS Arizona were to gather ar a nearby dock for a head count.  "Everybody I saw there had rags around their heads."  Bandages covered their arms, skin was scorched and hair burned off.  "Beat up something awful."

He spent the rest of the war on the destroyer USS MacDonough, which earned 14 Battle Stars.

I see the correct spelling of the destroyer USS MacDonough is Macdonough, named after the hero of the War of 1812's Battle of Lake Champlain. This ship was also at Pearl Harbor during the attack.

The Huffington Post has an extended video of Mr. Anderson going into greater detail of his Pearl Harbor and World War II experiences.

--GreGen

Pearl Harbor Survivors Honored in 2012

From the December 7, 2012, Spectrum.com "Pearl Harbor survivors honored."

The names of other Pearl Harbor survivors who had since died from the previous year:

GARTH SAWYERS--  Served in the Army but on USS Antares which was followed by a mini sub.

LEE WARREN--  On USS MacDonough

DICK WERNER--  On leave from the USS Arizona at his home in Albuquerque trying to get "this sweet lady to marry me."

WARDELL JENKINS-  Army-- Camp Malakole in Hawaii.

--GreGen

Toledo's Pearl Harbor Survivors-- Part 2: Jim Gilbert

Jim Gilbert, 91, enjoyed the Toledo Chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, but it disbanded in 2004 when it got down to six members.

He had enlisted in the US Navy in 1940, after not getting into the Naval Academy.  In April 1941, he was stationed at Pearl Harbor on the USS MacDonough, a destroyer.  During the attack "our ship was torn down for overhaul, so a lot of us were ashore.  I was at the executive officer's house."

He heard gunfire from a nearby anti-aircraft battery and ran back to the base and was strafed by a plane, but didn't get hit.  Once back at his ship, he put on his uniform and took his position at an anti-aircraft gun.  There was no power so he was forced to fire as accurately and safely as he could.

He especially had to be careful of firing at civilian areas or other ships.

His comment on the attack was that he "was too busy to be scared."

Two More to Come.  --GreGen