A final salute—Pearl Harbor’s oldest witness leaves a legacy at 106
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The tapestry of American history is woven with the threads of countless stories, each unique and powerful in its own right.
One such story that has now reached its conclusion is that of Vaughn Drake Jr., the oldest known survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack, who passed away at the venerable age of 106.
His life, marked by service, resilience, and an unassuming role in a pivotal moment in history, offers us a window into the past and perhaps, secrets to a long and fulfilling life.
Vaughn Drake Jr., who passed away on April 7 at the age of 106, was recognized as the oldest living survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack, according to his obituary.
Drake, born on November 6, 1918, in Winchester, Kentucky, served in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. His military service included both the Pearl Harbor and Saipan battles.
Over the years, he earned several honors, including the World War II Victory Medal and a special congressional medal awarded to Pearl Harbor veterans.
In a 2016 interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader, Drake shared memories from the day of the attack, December 7, 1941. He was just 23 years old at the time, as noted by Pacific Historic Parks.
During the attack, Drake said he was overseeing a temporary power plant, providing electricity to carpenters who were constructing new barracks at Kaneohe Naval Air Station.
“I had to keep the power going for saws and things,” he recalled. The air station, located east of Pearl Harbor, is now a Marine Corps base.
“We were getting ready to go to breakfast, and we heard all these planes flying over and making a lot of noise,” Drake told the Lexington Herald-Leader. “We just figured it was the Army Air Corps carrying out maneuvers for practice, like they did a lot. We didn’t pay much attention to it.”
He said they proceeded to the chow line for breakfast and noticed aircraft diving near the naval air station.
“We thought, ‘Boy, they’re really putting on a good show,’” he said.
Although they spotted red circles on the wings — identifying the planes as Japanese — Drake recalled that they still couldn’t quite process what was happening.
An officer nearby got in touch with headquarters at Schofield Barracks in Oahu and shouted, “This is an attack! The Japanese are attacking the whole island!” according to Drake.
At the time of the 2016 interview, Drake was 98 years old and still vividly remembered witnessing a Japanese plane crash at Kaneohe.
Source: Herald Leader / Youtube.
“Later that day, some of us went over there and tore some pieces out of it, and this is a little control stick that I got,” he said. “It’s got some Japanese writing on it, which I never did get translated.”
Drake never revisited Pearl Harbor or Oahu, but he occasionally shared his experiences through interviews or public events.
“I do feel like a part of history,” he said. “I haven’t made it the big thing in my life.”
After the war, Drake returned home to Kentucky, where he began a career as an engineer in the private sector and started a family with his wife, Lina Drake. The couple was married for 65 years until her passing in 2011, according to her obituary.
They had one son, Samuel, who survives them, along with two grandsons and three great-grandchildren.
A military burial service for the veteran is scheduled for April 17 at Winchester Cemetery in Kentucky.
As we honor the memory of Vaughn Drake Jr., we are reminded of the enduring strength of the human spirit.
His military burial service will be a final salute to a man who witnessed history, survived it, and went on to live a century-plus of life.
Read next: Could your $1 bill make you $5,700 richer? The hidden treasure you might be sitting on!
We invite our readers to reflect on the lessons from Vaughn Drake's remarkable journey. How do you find purpose and resilience in your own life? What activities keep you engaged and connected to your community? Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments below.
One such story that has now reached its conclusion is that of Vaughn Drake Jr., the oldest known survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack, who passed away at the venerable age of 106.
His life, marked by service, resilience, and an unassuming role in a pivotal moment in history, offers us a window into the past and perhaps, secrets to a long and fulfilling life.
Vaughn Drake Jr., who passed away on April 7 at the age of 106, was recognized as the oldest living survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack, according to his obituary.
Drake, born on November 6, 1918, in Winchester, Kentucky, served in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. His military service included both the Pearl Harbor and Saipan battles.
Over the years, he earned several honors, including the World War II Victory Medal and a special congressional medal awarded to Pearl Harbor veterans.
In a 2016 interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader, Drake shared memories from the day of the attack, December 7, 1941. He was just 23 years old at the time, as noted by Pacific Historic Parks.
Vaughn Drake Jr., the oldest known Pearl Harbor survivor, passed away at the age of 106. Image source: Milward Funeral.
During the attack, Drake said he was overseeing a temporary power plant, providing electricity to carpenters who were constructing new barracks at Kaneohe Naval Air Station.
“I had to keep the power going for saws and things,” he recalled. The air station, located east of Pearl Harbor, is now a Marine Corps base.
“We were getting ready to go to breakfast, and we heard all these planes flying over and making a lot of noise,” Drake told the Lexington Herald-Leader. “We just figured it was the Army Air Corps carrying out maneuvers for practice, like they did a lot. We didn’t pay much attention to it.”
He said they proceeded to the chow line for breakfast and noticed aircraft diving near the naval air station.
“We thought, ‘Boy, they’re really putting on a good show,’” he said.
Although they spotted red circles on the wings — identifying the planes as Japanese — Drake recalled that they still couldn’t quite process what was happening.
An officer nearby got in touch with headquarters at Schofield Barracks in Oahu and shouted, “This is an attack! The Japanese are attacking the whole island!” according to Drake.
At the time of the 2016 interview, Drake was 98 years old and still vividly remembered witnessing a Japanese plane crash at Kaneohe.
Source: Herald Leader / Youtube.
“Later that day, some of us went over there and tore some pieces out of it, and this is a little control stick that I got,” he said. “It’s got some Japanese writing on it, which I never did get translated.”
Drake never revisited Pearl Harbor or Oahu, but he occasionally shared his experiences through interviews or public events.
“I do feel like a part of history,” he said. “I haven’t made it the big thing in my life.”
After the war, Drake returned home to Kentucky, where he began a career as an engineer in the private sector and started a family with his wife, Lina Drake. The couple was married for 65 years until her passing in 2011, according to her obituary.
They had one son, Samuel, who survives them, along with two grandsons and three great-grandchildren.
A military burial service for the veteran is scheduled for April 17 at Winchester Cemetery in Kentucky.
As we honor the memory of Vaughn Drake Jr., we are reminded of the enduring strength of the human spirit.
His military burial service will be a final salute to a man who witnessed history, survived it, and went on to live a century-plus of life.
Read next: Could your $1 bill make you $5,700 richer? The hidden treasure you might be sitting on!
We invite our readers to reflect on the lessons from Vaughn Drake's remarkable journey. How do you find purpose and resilience in your own life? What activities keep you engaged and connected to your community? Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments below.
