LOS ANGELES — The oldest U.S. military survivor of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor that plunged the United States into World War II has died at age 106.

Ray Chavez’s daughter, Kathleen Chavez of Poway, California, said her father died in his sleep Wednesday.

Chavez had visited Washington in May where he was honored by President Donald Trump during Memorial Day services.

He was assigned to the minesweeper Condor when Japanese war planes bombed Pearl Harbor.

The coastal minesweeper Condor (AMc-14), photographed in 1941, probably off San Diego. Condor was at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 and is believed to have been the first U.S. ship to make contact with the enemy at 0350 by spotting the periscope of a Japanese mini-sub. The crew reported it by visual signal to the destroyer Ward, which sank the enemy sub. (Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives)

Hours before the attack, he and others had spotted a Japanese periscope near the harbor, an enemy mini-submarine destroyed by the warship Ward.

Soon after, his ship docked, and he returned to his nearby home.

Minutes later, he would race back to the harbor when Japanese warplanes began to attack.

RELATED
Share:
More In Your Navy
In Other News
US to boost military presence in Europe for Russia threat
Biden announced the permanent basing of a U.S. military garrison in Poland. He also said the U.S. is sending two additional F-35 fighter jet squadrons to the U.K. and more air defense and other capabilities to Germany and Italy.
Load More