2007 U.S.S. Arizona Survivors' Reunion

by Andrew Desautels

--------------------

 

Here are photos from the 2007 reunion of the U.S.S. Arizona Reunion Association, the official organization for survivors, former crew, their relatives, and relatives of those lost aboard the ship.  The event was held in Tucson, Arizona, where several artifacts from the ship are stored, including one of the ill-fated ship's bells. 

On the morning of December 7, 1941, there were 1,512 sailors assigned to the battleship U.S.S. Arizona.  Although some were ashore for various duties, most of them were aboard when the Japanese attack began, and when the ship's forward magazines detonated.  1,177 sailors were killed aboard the Arizona, nearly half of all deaths at Pearl Harbor that day.   

Of the 335 who survived the terrible blast and the inferno which followed, only 26 are still alive as of this writing.  Some who are still able to travel still manage to attend annual reunions where they visit with old shipmates, their families, and the families of the 1,177 lost.  As most have passed away, the numbers attending the reunions have dwindled each year.  This year, only four survivors managed to attend, along with two shipmates who served aboard the Arizona prior to her destruction, and two widows of old crewmen.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

Above are the four survivors.  Glenn Lane was the radioman in one of the ship's two scout planes, and was blasted into the harbor in the ship's fatal blast.  He later flew in carrier-based TBF's in the Battle of Midway. 

            Milton Hurst was also in the aviation division, and a close friend of Lane's before the attack.  He was next to the #3 gun turret trying to fight the ship's fires when the ship exploded. 

            Joe Langdell was 100 yards from the ship, on Ford Island and witnessed the destruction of his ship.  Had he been aboard, his battle station was in the #2 turret magazine, ground zero for the great blast. 

            Finally Clint Westbrook was in a whaleboat next to the Arizona when the attack began; when the Arizona was destroyed, he went to the U.S.S. Nevada.  His complete story is in the book "The USS Arizona" by Joy Waldron Jasper/James P. Delgado/Jim Adams, from St. Martin's Press. 

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

Wes Cole served aboard the Arizona from 1936-1941, but had been transferred prior to the attack.  He's a great guy, so I'm glad he missed the attack!

            Tom Traylor also served from 1940 until September 1941; had he still been assigned to the ship on December 7th, his battle station was also the #2 turret magazine, where the fatal blast originated.  Tom was also ground support crew for the famous "Bombing 8" at the Battle of Midway, which lost all aircraft and all but one airman. 

            The lovely lady in red is Lucy Henderson, whose late husband, Bob, served aboard the U.S.S. Arizona from 1924-1928.  At the 50th anniversary reunion, Bob was the oldest crewman in attendance.

            Another photo of survivor Milton Hurst, but this time with Jim Campbell, whose uncle, William Goodwin, is among those entombed in the wreck of the Arizona.  Amazingly, Jim is also a World Trade Center survivor from September 11, 2001.  What a family legacy!

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

            Above, two survivors discuss the model of the U.S.S. Arizona at the University of Arizona.  Usually these discussions center on two things: where they were on the ship, and finding inaccuracies on the model! 

            While in the U.S.S. Arizona Lounge at the University, the survivors and one of the crew posed for photos.  On the second photo, I was privileged to join them on the left side.

            Finally the annual Memorial Service, which is normally a very large scale affair, but this year was held a week early before the survivors could arrive, due to a lack of communication.  It was very sad how small it was this year.  Here the survivors rise to be recognized, if they are able. 

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

            Above the two U.S.S. Arizona shipmate widows in attendance sat together.  After the brief service, we had the remarkable opportunity to view an episode of "This Is Your Life" from the late 1950's, I believe, featuring Rear Admiral Samual Fuqua, who was a Lieutenant Commander aboard the Arizona during the attack, and was the senior surviving officer and who ordered the call to abandon ship.  Admiral Fuqua passed away many years ago, but the gentleman to the left is a U.S.S. Arizona survivor still living as of 2007, Edward Wentzlaff.  I had the privilege of accompanying Mr. Wentzlaff in Pearl Harbor in 2006.

            Finally, we were given a rare privilege of going into the bell tower where one of the two bells from the ship is preserved.  This bell very narrowly missed going to the smelter as scrap.  What an honor to ring it! 

Andrew

Photos and text © by Andrew Desautels