Ray Chavez, The Oldest Survivor Of The Pearl Harbor Attack Dies At 106

The Oldest Pearl Harbor Survivor, Ray Chavez Dies At 106

• Oldest survivor of the Pearl Harbor, Ray Chavez died on Wednesday, 21st November.
• Chavez, who was suffering from pneumonia died peacefully in bed in San Diego, said his family.
• He wished to be buried at the Miramar National Cemetery, San Diego after his health declined a few months back.
• He was one of the veteran soldiers alive of the attack which took place on December 7, 1941. It killed 2,335 U.S. military personnel and 68 civilians.

Ray Chavez, the oldest survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack died on Wednesday, 21st November. His family announced his death in a statement on Wednesday. He was 106.

The family statement said,

Ray was honored to have served his country and to fight among heroes and loved meeting his fellow comrades. He cherished his time going to talk to the kids at schools because he doesn't want them to forget Pearl Harbor.

The US Army veteran pa s sed away peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday morning in the San Diego suburb of Poway, reported CNN affiliate KFMB citing the family statement. He had been battling pneumonia

The White House announced his death in a statement on Wednesday. "We are saddened to hear Ray Chavez has pa s sed away at the age of 106," wrote White House in their statement on Twitter.

He was quartermaster stationed in Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack in Hawaii in 1941 which officially brought the United States to the World War II.

He wished to be buried at the Miramar National Cemetery, San Diego, California after his health sharply declined in recent months.

Chavez reminisced the attack in a 2016 ceremony where he told he still felt "a loss." He further said,

We were all together. We were friends and brothers. I feel close to all of them.

The attack which killed 2,335 U.S. military personnel and 68 civilians took place on 7th December 1941. Hours before the attack, Chavez was aboard the minesweeper USS Condor.