- Warren Upton, the oldest survivor of the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the last survivor of the USS Utah, has died at the age of 105.
- On December 7, 1941, Japanese aircraft began bombing American naval bases, pushing America into World War II.
- According to military historian J. Michael Wenger, there were about 87,000 military personnel on Oahu on the day of the attack. After Upton's death, only 15 people remain.
Warren Upton, the oldest survivor of the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the last survivor of the USS Utah, has died. He was 105 years old.
Upton died Wednesday at a hospital in Los Gatos, Calif., after suffering a bout of pneumonia, said Kathleen Farley, president of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors of California.
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In the early morning hours of December 7, 1941, the USS Utah was anchored at Pearl Harbor when Japanese aircraft began bombing Naval Base Hawaii in an attack that thrust the United States into World War II.
Warren Upton poses for a portrait with his daughter Barbara Upton at his home in San Jose, California on November 26, 2021. (Shay Hammond/Bay Area News Group, via AP)
Upton told The Associated Press in 2020 that he was getting ready to shave when he felt the first torpedo hit Utah. He recalled that no one on board knew what had caused the ship to tremble. Then a second torpedo hit and the ship began to heel and capsize.
The then 22-year-old swam ashore to Ford Island and jumped into a trench to avoid strafing Japanese planes. He remained at the scene for about 30 minutes until a truck arrived and took him to safety.
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Upton said she was comfortable talking about what happened during the attack. Rather, what upset him was the continued loss of sailors over the years. By 2020, only three of Utah's crew remained alive, including himself.
According to military historian J. Michael Wenger, there were an estimated 87,000 military personnel on Oahu on the day of the attack. After Upton's death, only 15 people remain.
