Ventura County sailor killed in Pearl Harbor identified nearly 81 years later
A Ventura County sailor killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor has finally returned home just one day before the 81st anniversary of the devastating strike.
Lasting two hours and 20 minutes, the surprise Japanese offensive killed 2403 American servicemen and civilians — launching the United States into World War II.
Among the dead was Claude Ralph Garcia, a Navy Shipfitter Second Class station on the USS West Virginia.
"He was my grandmother's brother," said Garcia's great nephew Ric Ruffinelli.
While Ruffinelli was not born yet when Garcia died, he always heard stories of his great uncle Claude, who laid with the 66 other unidentified sailors at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.
"We went to Hawaii a couple of times," said Ruffinelli. "Went to the memorial and found his name."
One year ago, Ruffinelli received a letter and a call from the U.S. Navy.
"They thought we were descendants of the person these remains belonged to," he said. "And that they may be able to identify him."
Now, one day shy of 81 years after the attack, Garcia finally came back to California.
"I absolutely marvel at the efforts of the Navy," said Ruffinelli. "I just can't believe the extreme effort they put into identifying this man and how important it was to bring him home."
It was fully military honors at LAX on Tuesday morning as a plane pulled up with a flag-draped casket. The Honor Guard carried him to the hearse and the firefighters lined the overpasses with American Flags flying in the wind — all of this for the 63 miles to Ventura.
"To think that 80 years and 364 days — that's how long we owed this man the honors he got today," said Honoring Our Fallen Founder Laura Herzog.
Herzog's organization helps coordinate the extra efforts for Garcia's arrival. She said she was in awe of those who showed up at the airport and the cemetery.
The military paid for his final trip home and what's to come. Garcia's family chose to bury him back in his hometown, next to his mother and surrounded by his family, who were forced to say goodbye far too soon.
"Our entire family is buried at Ivy Lawn [Memorial Park]," said Ruffinelli. "His mother is there. His dad is there. His brothers and sisters are there."
Although he was always honored for his sacrifice as one of the first casualties of the war, the closure is long overdue.
"We have come to value what expense these people gave for our country and the impact it had on their lives, not only at the time but their future lives," said Ruffinelli.
