Warren Upton, the last known survivor of the USS Utah and the oldest living survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor, has died at the age of 105. Upton passed away on December 25, 2024, at a hospital in Los Gatos, California, after suffering from pneumonia, according to Kathleen Farley, the California state chair of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors.
The attack on Pearl Harbor, which occurred on December 7, 1941, saw Japanese planes launching devastating strikes against American naval vessels. Among these was the USS Utah, which was attacked during the early morning hours, marking the United States' entry to World War II. Upton, who was just 22 at the time, vividly remembered the chaos of the events during interviews leading up to his passing. He recounted being caught off guard, preparing to shave when the first torpedo hit his ship. Moments later, another torpedo struck, causing the ship to sink.
"I stayed there for about 30 minutes until a truck came and picked us up," Upton recalled during a 2020 interview, reflecting on his harrowing experience swimming to safety on Ford Island, seeking refuge from the strafing planes overhead. This survival instinct and resilience saw him through to live past his centenary.
Upton's death is particularly poignant as it leaves only 15 known survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack, according to military historian J. Michael Wenger. His passing not only marks the loss of another voice from history but also echoes the fading memory of an event deemed momentous by historians and citizens alike. The toll of the attack was staggering: 2,333 Americans lost their lives, and 1,139 were injured, reshaping the fabric of American life and international relations.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, speaking of the attack, famously declared it as "a day which will live in infamy," encapsulating the shock and grief felt across the nation at the time. The attack on Pearl Harbor prompted the United States to formally enter World War II, shifting from isolationist policies to active military engagement worldwide.
Upton, born in 1918, bore witness to nearly 106 years of monumental changes—both personal and global. He often narrated his experiences to preserve the historical significance of Pearl Harbor for future generations. Even as he mourned the loss of shipmates over the years, Upton remained steadfast in his commitment to sharing their stories and memorializing the heroic actions taken during the war.
Despite the heartache and memories of those lost, he carried forth the legacy of not just surviving, but thriving, living richly through eras marked by progress and turmoil. His experiences are invaluable, reminding us of the sacrifices borne by those who served during the war.
Now, the dwindling number of Pearl Harbor survivors serves as a stark reminder of the urgency to honor their narratives and keep the history alive. The passing of figures like Upton will continue to ripple through time, offering historical insights and emotional depth to our collective remembrance of wartime experiences.
Warren Upton's legacy will be conveyed through the lives of those he inspired and the history he represented—a symbol of resilience who experienced one of America's darkest historical days and lived to tell the tale. His life and story will remain etched in the annals of history, forever commemorated as part of the indelible imprint left by those who fought for freedom and democracy.
