Warren Upton, the San Jose resident and last known survivor of the USS Utah during the Pearl Harbor attack, celebrated his 105th birthday yesterday. His longevity is a rare hallmark in the dwindling community of Pearl Harbor survivors, with Upton being only one of 18 living members who lived through that fateful day, as reported by KTVU.
Despite the years, Upton vividly remembers the trauma and chaos of December 7, 1941, and he recalls a particular moment vividly when a fellow sailor, unable to swim, asked him, "Can you swim, Red?" as their ship capsized. Upton towed him to safety as they abandoned the USS Utah as their ship was hit and began to turn over, as per Mercury News.
Warren's life post-war saw marriage and a family, including five children and five grandchildren, as observed from the walls of his modest home filled with family photographs, a testament to a full life beyond his wartime service. His steadfast wife Gene, a former Navy nurse whom he lost in 2018, served as a constant companion until her demise, according to Pacific Historic Parks Instagram.
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