Chandler was a hospital corpsman third Class when waves of Japanese fighter planes dropped bombs and fired machine weapons on battleships within the harbor.
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 dwelling middle in Tequesta, Florida, in line with Ron Mahaffee, the husband of his granddaughter Kelli Fahey. Chandler had congestive coronary heart failure, however Mahaffee mentioned medical doctors and nurses famous his superior age when giving a explanation for demise.
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 Warfare II.
He instructed The Related Press 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 assumed they had been planes coming in from the states till I noticed the bombs dropping,” Chandler mentioned. His first intuition was to take cowl and ”get the hell out of right here.”
“I used to be afraid that they’d begin strafing,” he mentioned.
His unit rode vans right down to attend the injured. He mentioned 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 mentioned he was too centered on his work to be afraid.
“It bought so busy you were not scared. Weren’t scared in any respect. We had been busy. It was after you bought scared,” Chandler mentioned.
He realized later that he may have been killed, “However you didn’t take into consideration that when you had been busy taking good care of individuals.”
The assault killed greater than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. Almost half, or 1,177, had been sailors and Marines on board the USS Arizona, which sank 9 minutes after it was bombed.
Chandler’s reminiscences got here flowing again when he visited Pearl Harbor for a 2023 ceremony commemorating the 82nd anniversary of the bombing.
“I look on the market, and I can nonetheless see what’s occurring. I can nonetheless see what was occurring,” Chandler instructed The Related Press.
Requested what he needed People to learn about Pearl Harbor, he mentioned: “Be ready.”
“We should always have identified that was going to occur. The intelligence must be higher,” he mentioned.
After the conflict Chandler labored as a painter and wallpaper hanger and acquired an upholstery enterprise along 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 mentioned. In latest a long time 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 one daughter, 9 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren.
Army historian J. Michael Wenger has estimated that there have been some 87,000 army personnel on the island of Oahu the day of the assault. With Chandler’s demise solely 15 are nonetheless dwelling, in line with a tally maintained by Kathleen Farley, the California state chair of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors.
Bob Fernandez, who served on the usCurtiss, additionally died this month, at age 100, and Warren Upton, 105, who served on the usUtah, died final week.
