Warren Upton, Oldest Living Survivor of Pearl Harbor Attack, Dies at 105

Warren Upton, the oldest living survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack, died at the age of 105 on Wednesday.

Why It Matters

On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base on the island of Oahu. Over 2,400 Americans were killed and 1,000 more were injured. Meanwhile, almost 20 American naval vessels and more than 300 airplanes were destroyed or damaged. Upton was the last remaining survivor of the USS Utah, a battleship moored at Pearl Harbor when Japanese planes began bombing Hawaii.

In a famous speech, then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt called the attack a "date which will live in infamy" and urged Congress to declare on a Japan. Congress did so, bringing the country into World War II.

What To Know

Upton died at a hospital in Los Gatos, California, about a 20-minute drive southwest of San Jose, according to Kathleen Farley, the California state chair of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors. Farley said Upton was suffering from pneumonia.

Warren Upton sits for a portrait with his daughter Barbara Upton at his home in San Jose, California, on November 26, 2021. Upton, the oldest living survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack, died at the... Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group via AP

Warren Upton's Story

In 2020, Upton told The Associated Press (AP) about that fateful day at Pearl Harbor.

Then 22 years old, Upton was getting ready to shave when he felt the first torpedo hit the Utah. Those on board the ship did not know what made the ship shake. When the second torpedo hit, the vessel began to list, meaning it took on water and tilted to one side, and capsize.

Upton swam ashore to Ford Island, to the east of Pearl Harbor, and then jumped in a trench where he stayed for roughly 30 minutes until a truck came and took him to safety.

In his AP interview, Upton, then 101 years old, said he doesn't mind talking about Pearl Harbor but rather is more upset that he lost shipmates over the years. At the time, he was one of three Utah crew members still alive.

Warren Upton holds a portrait at his home in San Jose, California on November 26, 2021. Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group via AP

What People Are Saying

Pacific Historic Parks, an organization that supports significant historical sites in the Pacific, wrote on Facebook on Thursday: "It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Pearl Harbor Survivor Warren 'Red' Upton, the last living survivor of the USS Utah."

The post said that Upton, who was serving as a radioman aboard the Utah, helped another shipmate who couldn't swim as he made it to safety.

"Ultimately, 58 USS Utah crewmembers died that day, many of them unable to escape the ship as it rolled over," Pacific Historic Parks said. "Warren continued to serve as a radioman throughout the war. Once it was over, he returned home, married, and had a family. His wife, Gene, a former Navy nurse, passed away in 2018."

What Happens Next

Military historian J. Michael Wenger said there were roughly 87,000 military personnel on Oahu on the day of the Pearl Harbor attack, the AP reports. Only 15 of them are still alive following Upton's death, according to the AP.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.