by Mark LoProto | Jan 18, 2019 | Obituaries, Pearl Harbor Survivors
You may not know the name Milton Mapou, but the Central Ohio native was an American hero and a treasure to those who knew him. Mapou was present at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese launched their deadly attack. Since then, he’s been a link to the...
by Mark LoProto | Jan 9, 2019 | Learning Pearl Harbor, Literature of Pearl Harbor, Pearl Harbor Survivors
Every Pearl Harbor survivor has a fascinating story to tell. On the morning of December 7, 1941, an aerial striking force of the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack that left more than 2,400 Americans dead. Those who survived experienced what must have...
by Mark LoProto | Jan 7, 2019 | Attack of Pearl Harbor, Pearl Harbor Heroes, USS Utah Survivors
The morning of December 7, 1941 on the island of Oahu was chaos. While it’s likely that most of the sailors and Marines there knew exactly what was going on, that wasn’t the case for John “Jack” Vaessen, a ship’s electrician serving aboard the former battleship USS...
by Mark LoProto | Jan 3, 2019 | Obituaries, Pearl Harbor Survivors
Each year, the number of living survivors of the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor grows smaller and smaller, making it more important than ever to hear and share their stories. The United States bid farewell to the following servicemen in 2018: Firman J. Balza...
by Mark LoProto | Nov 24, 2018 | History, Obituaries, Pearl Harbor Heroes, Pearl Harbor Survivors
Ray Chavez, the oldest Pearl Harbor survivor, passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 21, 2018. He was 106. According to his daughter Kathleen Chavez, the veteran’s health had been in decline in recent weeks. Chavez, a San Diego resident, was more than just a...
by Mark LoProto | Sep 20, 2018 | Pearl Harbor Heroes, Pearl Harbor News, Pearl Harbor Survivors
On December 7, 2017, Joe George, a man best known for his heroics during the Pearl Harbor attack that saved several sailors trapped on the USS Arizona (BB-39), was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star Medal for Valor. It was an award that was a long-time coming,...
