By AUDREY McAVOY FROM AP NEWS
Warren Upton, the oldest living survivor of the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the last remaining crew member of the USS Utah, passed away on December 25, 2024, at the age of 105.
Upton was serving as a 22-year-old radioman aboard the USS Utah when it was struck by two torpedoes during the surprise attack on December 7, 1941. He managed to escape the capsizing ship by swimming to Ford Island, assisting a fellow sailor who couldn’t swim along the way.
The attack on Pearl Harbor resulted in the deaths of 58 crew members aboard the Utah, which now serves as a memorial site. Upton’s passing leaves only 15 known survivors of the approximately 87,000 military personnel who were on Oahu during the attack.
Following his service in World War II, Upton returned home, started a family, and lived a long life, witnessing the passing of many of his shipmates over the years. His death marks the end of an era, as he was the last living link to the crew of the USS Utah.
Upton’s passing comes months after Lou Conter, another Pearl Harbor survivor and the last known survivor of the USS Arizona, died at the age of 102.
As we remember Warren Upton and his fellow servicemen, we honor their bravery and the sacrifices they made during one of the most pivotal moments in American history.
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