Warren Upton, who was the oldest survivor of the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and also the sole survivor of the USS Utah, has passed away at the age of 105.
Upton passed away on Wednesday at a hospital in Los Gatos, California. According to Kathleen Farley, the California state chair of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors, Upton had been battling pneumonia.
On the morning of December 7, 1941, the Utah battleship found itself anchored at Pearl Harbor when Japanese aircraft started bombarding the naval base in Hawaii. This surprise attack would become the pivotal moment that thrust the United States into the depths of World War II.
In 2020, Upton shared with The Associated Press that he was preparing to shave when he felt the initial impact of the torpedo striking the Utah. He vividly remembered the confusion among the ship’s crew as they were unaware of the cause behind the sudden shaking. Soon after, the second torpedo hit, causing the ship to tilt and ultimately capsize.
After swimming ashore to Ford Island, the young man, who was only 22 at the time, quickly sought refuge in a trench to protect himself from the relentless assault of Japanese planes. He remained in hiding for approximately half an hour until a truck arrived to rescue him, ensuring his safety.
Upton expressed his willingness to discuss the events surrounding the attack. However, what truly saddened him was the continuous loss of his fellow shipmates throughout the years. As of 2020, only three surviving crew members, including Upton himself, remained from the Utah.
According to military historian J. Michael Wenger, there were approximately 87,000 military personnel present on Oahu during the attack. Sadly, with Upton’s passing, only 15 of them remain alive today.