Returning Home: Sailor from Pearl Harbor Identified After 84 Years
The remains of a 17-year-old sailor who lost his life during the Pearl Harbor attack in World War II have finally been returned home for burial after more than 84 years.
Loyle Bradford Rooker is set to be laid to rest with full military honors on May 30 in Plainview, Arkansas, alongside his parents, including his father, a veteran of World War I.
According to his obituary, Rooker served as a third-class firefighter in the United States Navy aboard the USS West Virginia, giving his life during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941.
His burial arrangements followed a decades-long confirmation of his identity through modern forensic testing and DNA analysis, which compared his DNA to that of living relatives, as noted in his obituary.
Pearl Harbor Memorial Ceremony Commemorating the Attack
Rooker was one of 106 crew members killed when the USS West Virginia was struck during the surprise attack by Japanese forces. For years, he was listed as missing in action, and his body remained unidentified, buried as such at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name was memorialized in the Missing Persons Court there.
His service earned him several military honors, including the Purple Heart and the Navy Presidential Unit Citation, recognized for extraordinary heroism under fire. Additional accolades listed in his obituary include the Gold Star Veteran designation, Combat Action Ribbon, Naval Expeditionary Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, American Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal.
In a related note, the remains of another soldier, who died in France nearly 80 years ago, have also been identified and reburied in a national cemetery.
Rooker was officially released on May 29, 2024, after authorities conducted multiple exhumations for modern forensic testing. His teenage years were marked by the devastation of war, notably as the son of World War I veterans George F. Luker and Nettie Estelle David Luker. Family members were said to have resided in Arkansas during his deployment, and Rooker was fondly remembered “with pride and affection.”
He is survived by two nephews and a niece, a testament to his lasting legacy. His obituary poignantly states, “More than 80 years later, Loyle Rooker’s DNA and his family’s willingness to share it has bridged the gap between loss and knowledge. He will now be brought home to rest in peace.”
According to the U.S. Navy, during the 1941 attack, Japanese aircraft targeted the USS West Virginia, leading to multiple torpedo hits that ultimately caused the ship to sink in the shallow harbor.
