OT: One of Remaining Two USS Arizona Survivors Passes Away

[colbert17]

Ken Potts, one of only two remaining USS Arizona survivors has passed away at the age of 102. This leaves only Lou Conter, age 102, of California as the only living reminder of that terrible moment that the Arizona exploded.
As the members of this generation pass we need to remind our children, grandchildren and even in some cases great grandchildren of the tremendous sacrifice and hardships that these people had to endure and keep their memory alive. If you've never visited Pearl Harbor I would highly recommend it.
If not I would recommend the book "At Dawn We Slept" by Gordon Prange which is probably the most comprehensive book on the subject. Matter of fact it's required reading for all the Park Rangers at Pearl.

R.I.P. Seaman First Class Potts

Ken Potts, one of last 2 USS Arizona survivors, dies at 102

The USS Arizona still sits where it sank eight decades ago, with more than 900 dead entombed inside.

nypost.com

 

[ashokan]

We had a local survivor - Armando “Chick” Galella - die at 100 in 2021.
Most people knew of him since he was in the news every year.
We had a guy from Band of Brothers die a couple years before

"The self-effacing Galella bristled at being called a hero — "the heroes are the boys under the flags," he'd say — and preferred to call himself “just a little Italian boy from Barnhardt Avenue” in Sleepy Hollow, called North Tarrytown when he was growing up.

But he was a hero across the Hudson Valley, where it was understood he was the region's last of a dying fraternity: those who saw Japanese zeros rain terror down on Pearl Harbor and nearby Hickam Field. That's where a 20-year-old Galella was stationed when the attack began, early on a Sunday morning. "

Obituary: Pearl Harbor survivor 'Chick' Galella, Sleepy Hollow native, dies at 100

Armando 'Chick' Galella ran as fast as his 20-year-old legs could carry him on Dec. 7, 1941, and he spent the next 80 years honoring those who died.

www.lohud.com

 

[RUTGERS95]

Many people don't even know that it wasn't until the end of the year that they were trying to get people out of the Arizona. Rescuers could hear people banging while still alive however the hulls were too thick and depressurization was a concern. Tojo had a nice reminder while hung about this day

Remember pearl harbor!!!

 

[miker183]

The Greatest generation is dwindling far too quickly, and I fear we won't see their kind again;
we have become too self-centric.

Great book on rescue/ recovery efforts: Descent into Darkness.

 

[e5fdny]

Many people don't even know that it wasn't until the end of the year that they were trying to get people out of the Arizona. Rescuers could hear people banging while still alive however the hulls were too thick and depressurization was a concern. Tojo had a nice reminder while hung about this day

Remember pearl harbor!!!

I read somewhere by the end of the war every ship from the Pearl Harbor task force was sunk, severely damaged or captured. Every single one.

God Bless Ken Potts and thank you, sir.

 

[colbert17]

I read somewhere by the end of the war every ship from the Pearl Harbor task force was sunk, severely damaged or captured. Every single one.

God Bless Ken Potts and thank you, sir.

I had read the same thing. It was only six months later that four of the six carriers from the strike force went down at Midway

 

[e5fdny]

I had read the same thing. It was only six months later that four of the six carriers from the strike force went down at Midway

Those were because of the opportunity presented.

My understanding was the rest were personal.

 

[ashokan]

Intensively detailed videos of salvage operations

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/the-salvage-of-pearl-harbor.162878/

 

[colbert17]

Those were because of the opportunity presented.

My understanding was the rest were personal.

The other two were sunk near the Philippines later in the war, the last at Leyte Gulf

 

[colbert17]

Intensively detailed videos of salvage operations

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/the-salvage-of-pearl-harbor.162878/

I ve seen these videos before. They are very good.

 

[RUinPinehurst]

If you've never been, visit the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. Oil still rising from the wreckage below. Dec 7 1941 seems faroff to so many. But as many of us know, it's not. Also stop by the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl). It's all very moving. And a great testament to a generation that really knew what sacrifice is. Very much felt that same way on visits to the beaches of Normandy and the co-located American cemetery.

 

[RUTGERS95]

Those were because of the opportunity presented.

My understanding was the rest were personal.

yes it was and rightfully so. Love that we did that

read up on Tojos teeth to get a sense of what was felt

My grandfather, who is 100 and still going strong Thank God, still hates Japanese and curses McCarther for disobeying order, not hanging for Japanese commanders etc, and for other things soldiers of the era understand.

Le May was the man that won the war imho

 

[e5fdny]

yes it was and rightfully so. Love that we did that

read up on Tojos teeth to get a sense of what was felt

My grandfather, who is 100 and still going strong Thank God, still hates Japanese and curses McCarther for disobeying order, not hanging for Japanese commanders etc, and for other things soldiers of the era understand.

Le May was the man that won the war imho

The firestorms as a result of incendiary bombings were so intense they created their own weather.

Wife’s grandmother’s bf was a B29 navigator who was shot down three times. He said if it wasn’t for the Marines on Iwo Jima he wouldn’t have survived. For the rest of his life if a Marine (no matter his age) was around/near him, that guy drank and eat for free.

 

[RUTGERS95]

The firestorms as a result of incendiary bombings were so intense they created their own weather.

Wife’s grandmother’s bf was a B29 navigator who was shot down three times. He said if it wasn’t for the Marines on Iwo Jima he wouldn’t have survived. For the rest of his life if a Marine (no matter his age) was around/near him, that guy drank and eat for free.

the savagery of the war would make modern western societies hide in their safe spaces. Thank God our fathers understood that war inflicted on the enemy must be as brutal and total as possible. Lives were saved by this view

 

[e5fdny]

the savagery of the war would make modern western societies hide in their safe spaces. Thank God our fathers understood that war inflicted on the enemy must be as brutal and total as possible. Lives were saved by this view

Like my Dad. Probably would have been part of the invasion of Japan.

He always would credit Truman and all of the other WWII guys he worked with…”they were just different, nothing they couldn’t do or handle” when he came to something job related.

He was in the same line of work as me, but in Jersey City.

 

[DJ Spanky]

If you've never been, visit the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. Oil still rising from the wreckage below.

Visited it 2 decades ago. Still have strong emotions whenever I think of standing on the Memorial and looking down at the silhouette of the Arizona under water.

 

[DJ Spanky]

the savagery of the war would make modern western societies hide in their safe spaces. Thank God our fathers understood that war inflicted on the enemy must be as brutal and total as possible. Lives were saved by this view

I've had many arguments with people on the dropping of the two atomic bombs on Japan. We ended a war which would have dragged on for months or longer and cost many American lives in the process of subduing Japan by conventional means.

Like my Dad. Probably would have been part of invasion of Japan.

And my Dad. He was less than a month away from being deployed in the Pacific as a navigator on a B-29.

 

[mdk01]

I've had many arguments with people on the dropping of the two atomic bombs on Japan. We ended a war which would have dragged on for months or longer and cost many American lives in the process of subduing Japan by conventional means.



And my Dad. He was less than a month away from being deployed in the Pacific as a navigator on a B-29.

As mine.

One could also say that Joe Rochefort won the war in the Pacific, or at least hastened it.

As far as dropping the bombs my only quibble is not delaying Nagasaki a few extra days to see if they would capitulate.

 

[ashokan]

I ve seen these videos before. They are very good.

I found out the torpedo-bombers that attacked Arizona were made by the Nakajima Aircraft Company - It became Subaru.

​

 

[BigRnj]

I found out the torpedo-bombers that attacked Arizona were made by the Nakajima Aircraft Company - It became Subaru.

​

But, but, but, but, I thought “Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.” 🤫 Don‘t tell the hipsters and lesbians they may try to cancel the company based on past deeds 🤔

 

[ashokan]

But, but, but, but, I thought “Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.” 🤫 Don‘t tell the hipsters and lesbians they may try to cancel the company based on past deeds 🤔

LOL

The events damaged the US so they'll be cool with it all unfortunately