War

A USS Arizona survivor returns to his ship

Bob CollinsBob Collins Apr 20, 2017
8

Here’s your daily dose of decency:

Raymond Haerry arrived back home in Hawaii last Saturday after a flight from the East Coast, where an airline and some firefighters cared enough to recognize him.

Photo: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey via AP.

Raymond was one of the last survivors of the sinking of the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. He died last fall at 94.

His wish was to be buried with his shipmates.

So on Saturday, the Navy made it happen.

In this Saturday, April 15, 2017 photo released by Pacific Historic Parks, Jessica Marino, center, granddaughter of Raymond Haerry, receives the U.S. flag from the U.S. Navy during a ceremony at the USS Arizona Memorial in Honolulu. (Elaine Simon/Pacific Historic Parks via AP)

The urn containing his ashes was lowered to four Navy divers, who first saluted him…

Elaine Simon/Pacific Historic Parks via AP

… and then swam off to carry Haerry home.

Elaine Simon/Pacific Historic Parks via AP

Haerry is the 42nd survivor of the Arizona to return to the ship.

“That brotherhood doesn’t go away and as he got closer to the end of life, it resonated with him,” his granddaughter told the Associated Press. “He didn’t want to see the site or relive that disaster, but he wanted to relive that camaraderie.”

There are now only five survivors still living. The youngest is 94.