Pearl Harbor Survivor, Goodwill Ambassador. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in February 1940 and following Field Music School, was assigned to the USS West Virginia (BB-48) as a Marine Private bugler on July 6, 1940. On December 7, 1941, he was on the quarter deck of the USS West Virginia when the attack began. He rushed to his battle station which was on the navigation bridge. A few minutes later, he witnessed the captain's death and when the order came to abandon ship he swam to Ford Island. He remained assigned to his ship until January 1944, then was transferred to the 5th Marine Division and participated in the landing battle for the Japanese stronghold on Iwo Jima in 1945. After the war, he enlisted in the newly established U.S. Air Force in 1948. He served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars as a Crew Chief and retired in 1969 at the rank of Master Sergeant. As a Pearl Harbor survivor, in 1982 he became a volunteer at the USS Arizona Memorial. Years later, at a reunion, he met Zenji Abe, a Japanese dive-bomber pilot who took part in the attack. He embraced his former enemy and the two became friends. He was considered the Memorial's goodwill ambassador, who had the special duty of placing the flowers in front of the names of the USS Arizona casualties, and playing "Taps" on his bugle. In January 2004, he was honored by U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle for contributing more than 3,000 hours of time to the USS Arizona Memorial.
Pearl Harbor Survivor, Goodwill Ambassador. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in February 1940 and following Field Music School, was assigned to the USS West Virginia (BB-48) as a Marine Private bugler on July 6, 1940. On December 7, 1941, he was on the quarter deck of the USS West Virginia when the attack began. He rushed to his battle station which was on the navigation bridge. A few minutes later, he witnessed the captain's death and when the order came to abandon ship he swam to Ford Island. He remained assigned to his ship until January 1944, then was transferred to the 5th Marine Division and participated in the landing battle for the Japanese stronghold on Iwo Jima in 1945. After the war, he enlisted in the newly established U.S. Air Force in 1948. He served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars as a Crew Chief and retired in 1969 at the rank of Master Sergeant. As a Pearl Harbor survivor, in 1982 he became a volunteer at the USS Arizona Memorial. Years later, at a reunion, he met Zenji Abe, a Japanese dive-bomber pilot who took part in the attack. He embraced his former enemy and the two became friends. He was considered the Memorial's goodwill ambassador, who had the special duty of placing the flowers in front of the names of the USS Arizona casualties, and playing "Taps" on his bugle. In January 2004, he was honored by U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle for contributing more than 3,000 hours of time to the USS Arizona Memorial.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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