This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
Fri Dec 06, 2024 9:27 pm
Remember Pearl Harbor! Dec 7th 1941
Sat Dec 07, 2024 1:21 pm
I read this morning that there are only 16 still with us. Thanks to all who served and are still serving.
Sun Dec 08, 2024 2:08 pm
Lynn Allen wrote:I read this morning that there are only 16 still with us. Thanks to all who served and are still serving.
That just stings to hear...never forget!
Tue Dec 10, 2024 6:49 pm
On the morning of December 10, 1941, Ensign Joe Langdell was eating breakfast when a call went out for “Commander USS Arizona”, being the only officer present, he made himself known.
Langdell was ordered to lead a group of USS Arizona survivors, and go to the ship to collect any remains that could be found above the water line.
Given nothing more than sheets & pillow cases, the sailors performed the horrific task of collecting the remains & ashes of their shipmates who had perished three days earlier.
Langdell stated in an interview with the Arizona Republic in 2014; “It took two days, we carefully wrapped them in sheets, the body parts we put in pillow cases. We swept the decks and took the small bones”.
Due to the fires and the heat, not many complete remains would be found. Further remains were later found when the superstructure was cut down and three of the four 14” gun turrets were salvaged.
In total, 229 sets of remains were collected from USS Arizona and of these only 107 were identified. This leaves over 900 crew unrecovered and still on eternal duty aboard USS Arizona.
Joe Langdell had been sleeping in a barracks on shore the morning of Dec 7 and survived the destruction of USS Arizona. As the first wave of the attack waned, Langdell rushed toward the ship to help surviving crewmen swimming ashore.
Surviving WW2 and retiring from the Navy as a Lt. Cmdr, Joe Langdell passed away on February 4, 2015 and his remains were placed with his shipmates in the hull of USS Arizona.
To date the remains of 45 USS Arizona Survivors have been interred in the ship.