2 Pearl Harbor attack survivors attend 83rd anniversary ceremony
MICHELLE BIR / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Ira “Ike” Schab, 104, salutes the USS Arizona during the 83rd commemoration of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial today. Schab was one of two survivors of the attack to attend the 83rd anniversary commemoration.
KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL@STARADVERTISER.COM
Shanna Kaho’okele Tachera shows her granddaughter Jariah, 6, the plaque at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial that honors civilians who died on Dec. 7, 1941, during the 83rd Anniversary on Saturday. Kaho’okele Tachera is the grandniece of David Kaho’okele, who along with three of his relatives were killed by friendly fire as they drove to Pearl Harbor, where they worked as civilian dock workers.
MICHELLE BIR / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Nikki Stratton deliveres the keynote speech during the 83rd commemoration of the attack on Pearl Harbor at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial on Saturday. She is a granddaughter of USS Arizona survivor Donald Stratton. who died in 2020.
Two survivors of the Dec. 7, 1941, surprise attack on Pearl Harbor attended this year’s anniversary ceremony.
Ira “Ike” Schab, who is 104-years-old, stood up from his wheelchair with the help of his son and daughter to salute during the remembrance ceremony at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial honoring those killed in the Japanese bombing that brought the U.S. into World War II 83 years ago.
Ken Stevens, 102, who served on the USS Whitney, joined Schab at the ceremony.
USS Curtiss crew member Bob Fernandez, 100, was also scheduled to participate but was ultimately unable make the trip due to health issues.
The attack by the Japanese Imperial Navy, which targeted Pearl Harbor and other military sites across Oahu, killed more than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. Of those 1,177 were sailors and Marines on board the USS Arizona, which sank during the battle. Today the remains of more than 900 Arizona crew members rest in the rusted remains of the battleship in the harbor.
Sterling Cale, the last known service member living in Hawaii to survive the attack, died this year. The last survivor of the USS Arizona, Lou Conter, died at age 102 soon after.
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Today only 16 known service members who survived the attack remain, according to a list maintained by Kathleen Farley, the California state chair of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors.
During today’s remembrance ceremony superintendent of the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Tom Leatherman reflected on their passing, telling attendees, “I’m sure Lou and many of the other survivors would have said we have to forge ahead and continue to ensure we continue to remember Pearl Harbor, we need to be even more diligent to make sure that the stories, legacy and diverse history of Pearl Harbor will be shared at this site and beyond for all time.”
After the official remembrance ceremony, a family from Maui held a smaller ceremony to remember four members of their family who died during the attack — David Kaho’okele, Joseph McCabe, John Adams and his father, Joseph Adams.
All four were civilian dock workers employed at Pearl Harbor killed by friendly fire — a dud anti-aircraft round that landed on and struck their car as they were making their way to the base.
In total, 49 civilians were killed and 35 were wounded during the attack on Oahu. A small number of people were killed in targeted attacks by Japanese forces, but more were killed by errant American munitions fired at Japanese forces.
Shanna Kaho’okele Tachera, the grand niece of David Kaho’okele, was among those in attendance. She said that despite living in Hawaii all her life and knowing the story of how her relatives died, she had never set foot in Pearl Harbor.
“It’s very healing,” she said.
