Pearl Harbor survivors join fallen comrades

Navy Region Hawaii Honor Guard march past a photograph of Pearl Harbor survivor Lee Soucy during the internment ceremony for Soucy, Dec. 6, 2011 in Honolulu. / AP

HONOLULU - Lee Soucy decided five years ago that when he died he wanted to join his shipmates killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Soucy lived to be 90, passing away just last year. On Tuesday, seven decades after dozens of fellow sailors were killed when the USS Utah sank on Dec. 7, 1941, a Navy diver took a small urn containing his ashes and put it in a porthole of the ship.

The ceremony is one of five memorials being held this week for servicemen who lived through the assault and want their remains placed in Pearl Harbor out of pride and affinity for those they left behind.

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Pearl Harbor - Day of infamy

"They want to return and be with the shipmates that they lost during the attack," said Jim Taylor, a retired sailor who coordinates the ceremonies.

The memorials are happening the same week the country observes the 70th anniversary of the aerial bombing that killed 2,390 Americans and brought the United States into World War II. A larger ceremony to remember all those who perished will be held Wednesday just before 8 a.m. Hawaii time — the same moment the devastating attack began.

Most of the 12 ships that sank or were beached that day were removed from the harbor, their metal hulls salvaged for scrap. Just the Utah and the USS Arizona still lie in the dark blue waters. Only survivors of those vessels may return in death to their ships.

In this Dec. 7, 1941 file photo, the battleship USS Arizona belches smoke as it topples over into the sea during a Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

/ AP

The cremated remains of Vernon Olsen, who served aboard the Arizona, will be interred on his ship during a sunset ceremony Wednesday. The ashes of three other survivors are being scattered in the harbor.

Soucy, the youngest of seven children, joined the Navy out of high school so he wouldn't burden his parents. In 1941, he was a pharmacist mate, trained to care for the sick and wounded.

He had just finished breakfast that Sunday morning when he saw planes dropping bombs on airplane hangars. He rushed to his battle station after feeling the Utah lurch, but soon heard the call to abandon ship as the vessel began sinking. He swam to shore, where he made a makeshift first aid center to help the wounded and dying. He worked straight through for two days.

Japanese-American soldiers get overdue honor

The Utah lost nearly 60 men on Dec. 7, and about 50 are still entombed in the battleship. Today, the rusting hull of the Utah sits on its side next to Ford Island, not far from where it sank 70 years ago.

In this Dec. 7, 1941 file photo, sailors stand among wrecked airplanes at Ford Island Naval Air Station as they watch the explosion of the USS Shaw in the background, during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

/ AP

Soucy's daughter, Margaret, said her parents had initially planned to have their ashes interred together at their church in Plainview, Texas. But her father changed his mind after visiting Pearl Harbor for the 65th anniversary in 2006.

"He announced that he wanted to be interred on the Utah. And my mother looked a little hurt and perplexed. And I said, 'Don't worry Daddy, I'll take that part of your ashes that was your mouth and I'll have those interred on the Utah. And you can then tell those that have preceded you, including those that were entombed, what's been going on in the world,"' Margaret Soucy recalled saying with a laugh.

"'And the rest of your remains we will put with mother in the church gardens at St. Mark's.' And then my sister spoke up and said, `Yes, then mother can finally rest in peace,"' she said.

The family had long kidded Soucy for being talkative -they called him "Mighty Mouth" — so Margaret Soucy said her father laughed and agreed. "He just thought that was hilarious," she said.

Navy Region Hawaii Honor Guard seaman Nick Marrero, of Greenville, Texas, holds an urn with the ashes of Pearl Harbor survivor Lee Soucy during Soucy's internment ceremony, Dec. 6, 2011 in Honolulu.

/ AP

"So that is what we are doing. We're taking only a portion of his ashes. It's going to be a small urn," she said.

Soucy's three children, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren — 11 family members altogether — attended the sunset ceremony Tuesday. His wife died earlier this year.

Amid overcast skies, a Navy diver took the urn, protected by a mesh bag, and held it above water while swimming toward the Utah. The diver, who was accompanied by three supporting divers, went underwater to the porthole once reaching the ship.

An urn carrying the ashes of Vernon Olsen, who was among the 334 on the Arizona to survive the attack, will be interred in a gun turret on the Arizona on Wednesday. Most of the battleship's 1,177 sailors and Marines who died on Dec. 7 are still entombed on the ship.

Five months after Pearl Harbor Olsen was on the USS Lexington aircraft carrier when it sank during the Battle of the Coral Sea.

"I used to tell him he had nine lives. He was really lucky," said his widow, Jo Ann Olsen.

He passed away in April at the age of 91 after a bout of pneumonia.

Pearl Harbor interment and ash scattering ceremonies began in the late 1980s, and started growing in number as more survivors heard about them.

Taylor has helped 265 survivors return to Pearl Harbor. The vast majority have had their ashes scattered. He's arranged for the remains of about 20 Arizona survivors to be placed in the Arizona and about a dozen to be put in the Utah.

"These guys are heroes, OK. Fact is, in my opinion, anybody that's ever served in the military and wore the uniform are heroes. That's why you and I can breathe today in a free country. So I just appreciate what they did," he said.

[firegirl422]

My daddy was on pearl harbor the day of the attack. He was a proud survivor. He was but a few left alive may year later. He died in January in North Carolina. That is where he is buried. I really wish he had wrote down what he wanted.

[mooring7]

The Japanese Admiral that was in charge of the attack was credited as saying "We have awakened a sleeping giant". The US took on all comers and defeated them by destroying entire cities in Germany and Japan. Bombing raids over Berlin and Tokyo saw US victories with a loss of US fighting forces. We destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasake with Atomic bombs. Both germany and Japan had developed Atomic weapons an had the war continued Japan would have used thier A Bombs. We dropped bombs on those who did and would bomb us if they had the opportunity and when it was done we turned towards home. The US was victorious because we knew our enemy wanted to destroy us. Sixty years later we took a similar attack from an enemy that shouts death to America. They say we are at war in Iraq and Afganastan if so then why have we not destroyed this enemy. We went to war in 1941 because we were attacked and for those nations that attacked us there was hell to pay that is the high cost of starting a war. The popular ideology of the nations of our enemies was cause for the attack on Pearl Harbor accordingly the populations suffered casualties along with the military. That is war. Avoid it at all cost but if there is no other choice do what you must to kill your enemy and kill the popular ideology that causes him to believe he should kill you.

[kbbpll]

I visited the USS Arizona Memorial as a kid in 1978. I remember the oil still bubbling up from the ship below. At the shrine to the 1,177 sailors killed there, my father wept.

[leithflood]

WOW, WHAT A GREAT REPORT. Pearl harbor day, Dec. 7, 1941. I was 11 on that day, and remember it well. When I was 15 I tried to join the Army Air Force, told them I was 17. Was sent home for parents approval, in writing. No way did that happen. The war was over by then, and I missed the last great adventure. Did make the Korean War and served with the USAF. It was a great gig, no regrets, but nothing like the world war, in my mind. My hero back then was a RAF/RCAF fighter pilot named Buzz Beurling, an ace with 32 kills. War's are going to happen, that's the price for freedom. See you at the front.

[bigsk8fan]

part of the greatest generation. americans salute your sacrifice.

[guyfrompa46]

This is a day to remember the men abnd women who died.. Not to pass around blame..

[guyfrompa46]

The japenese had multiple opportunities to surrender. We didn;t just fly by and drop the bomb. Pearl harbor was an ambush.. You clowns need to go back a read up on the history of what took place.
The whole situation was unfortunate but try to grasp what the japenese were trying to accomplish.

[Jesus_Loves_Children]

"Land of the free and the home of the brave!" Francis Scott Key

The Star Spangled Banner, the poem (Fourth stanza)*

"O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"

*In 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the poem, Defense of Fort McHenry. The poem was later put to the tune of (John Stafford Smith's song) The Anacreontic Song, modified somewhat, and retitled The Star Spangled Banner. Congress proclaimed The Star Spangled Banner the U.S. National Anthem in 1931.

[credibility2]

God bless those who served and perished.

[sandog1960]

Thank you to all who have served, and especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.