HONOLULU — Harry Chandler, a Navy medic who helped pull injured sailors from the oily waters of Pearl Harbor after the 1941 Japanese assault on the naval base, has died. He was 103.
Chandler died Monday at a senior residing heart in Tequesta, Florida, in line with Ron Mahaffee, the husband of his granddaughter Kelli Fahey. Chandler had congestive coronary heart failure, however Mahaffee stated docs and nurses famous his superior age when giving a reason for loss of life.
The third Pearl Harbor survivor to die previously few weeks, Chandler was a hospital corpsman third class on Dec. 7, 1941, when waves of Japanese fighter planes dropped bombs and fired machine weapons on battleships within the harbor and plunged the U.S. into World Struggle II.
He stated in 2023 that he noticed the planes strategy as he was elevating the flag that morning at a cell hospital in Aiea Heights, which is within the hills overlooking the bottom.
“I thought they were planes coming in from the states until I saw the bombs dropping,” Chandler stated. His first intuition was to take cowl and “get the hell out of here.”
“I was afraid that they’d start strafing,” he stated.
His unit rode vans right down to attend the injured. He stated in a Pacific Historic Parks oral historical past interview that he boarded a ship to assist pluck wounded sailors from the water.
The harbor was coated in oil from exploding ships, so Chandler washed the sailors off after lifting them out. He stated he was too targeted on his work to be afraid.
“It got so busy you weren’t scared. Weren’t scared at all. We were busy. It was after you got scared,” Chandler stated.
He realized later that he might have been killed, “But you didn’t think about that while you were busy taking care of people.”
The assault killed greater than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. Almost half, or 1,177, had been sailors and Marines on board the usArizona, which sank 9 minutes after it was bombed.
Chandler’s recollections got here flowing again when he visited Pearl Harbor for a 2023 ceremony commemorating the 82nd anniversary of the bombing.
“I look out there, and I can still see what’s going on. I can still see what was happening,” Chandler stated.
Requested what he wished Individuals to find out about Pearl Harbor, he stated: “Be prepared.”
“We should have known that was going to happen. The intelligence has to be better,” he stated.
After the conflict Chandler labored as a painter and wallpaper hanger and purchased an upholstery enterprise together with his brother. He additionally joined the Navy reserves, retiring as a senior chief in 1981.
Chandler was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and lived for many of his grownup life in close by South Hadley, Mahaffee stated. In current many years he break up his time between Massachusetts and Florida.
An avid golfer, he shot 5 hole-in-ones throughout his lifetime, his grandson-in-law added.
Chandler had one organic daughter and adopted two daughters from his second marriage, to Anna Chandler, who died in 2004. He’s survived by two daughters, 9 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren.
