Last survivor of the Arizona passes away

[Danjet500]

I have nothing but the utmost respect for these men and women (and all Veterans) from the Greatest Generation. RIP, Lou.

Lou Conter, last survivor of USS Arizona from Pearl Harbor attack, dies at 102

Lou Conter, the last living survivor of the USS Arizona battleship that exploded and sank during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, has died.

apnews.com

 

[Colonialgirl]

May he Rest in Peace !
When I was in the first grade, we lived out on Ford Island and from the dock behind our apartment* you could make out the Arizona; NO fancy memorial on her at the time, but she was weeping her tears of fuel oil even then.

*An old barracks converted to apartments for Navy families.

 

[contender]

Wow. May he RIP!

 

[Watertender]

May he Rest in Peace !
When I was in the first grade, we lived out on Ford Island and from the dock behind our apartment* you could make out the Arizona; NO fancy memorial on her at the time, but she was weeping her tears of fuel oil even then.

*An old barracks converted to apartments for Navy families.

The Arizona had taken on fuel on December 5th from what I have read and the ship had 1.6 million gallons of Bunker C Oil in 40 tanks of 40,000 gallons each. There will be oil on the water there forever.

 

[RC44Mag]

We visited Arizona and Missouri about ten years ago. Still stuck in my head seeing the oil weep out of Arizona. Bless you all.

 

[pawncop]

We were there last April. The memorial is quite moving, but what really overwhelmed me was on the lower right hand corner where the sailors and marines have their names engraved, are 10-12 names of those who survived the attack, and have requested to be buried on the Arizona with their mates. I don't know why it affected me so, but I bought an Arizona cap and am able to tell the story when possible.

May God grant them peace for all eternity.

 

[turd]

RIP

 

[Johnnu2]

He wasn't "just" a survivor; he fought back:
"Conter went to flight school after Pearl Harbor, earning his wings to fly PBY patrol bombers, which the Navy used to look for submarines and bomb enemy targets. He flew 200 combat missions in the Pacific with a "Black Cats" squadron, which conducted dive bombing at night in planes painted black."
He also had a family that spread-out over several generations.
It appears that he had a great life.
J.

 

[Fox Mike]

God bless; RIP!

 

[Jeepnik]

Sadly it won't be long before we read that the last WWII survivor has passed. Korean war veterans are getting thin on the ground, and I'm starting to see articles on how fast Vietnam veterans are disappearing.

 

[The Norseman]

These Soldiers are the most interesting people
in the World, bar none. If you can get them
to talk about their adventures, it is so amazing
what they have to say.

I know one Vietnam Veteran he definitely
shares his stories and they are just interesting.
Listening to him has probably done me as
good, as it has him.

I wish some of these Veterans would have been
our Presidents. Just a lot of wisdom there.

Thank you all.

 

[Xrayist]

I believe there are less than 200,000 surviving soldiers from WW II. There were over 16 million that served in WW II. I got a chance, around 1990, to talk to a WW I soldier. He was in his mid 90's at the time. When I learned that the last WW I soldier had passed, it made that conversation all that more important to me. May Mr. Conter rest in peace and condolences to his family.