EDUC Lou Conter, last survivor of USS Arizona from Pearl Harbor attack, dies at 102

Chester

Chester

Contributing Member
HONOLULU (AP) — Lou Conter, the last living survivor of the USS Arizona battleship that exploded and sank during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, has died. He was 102.

Conter passed away on Monday at his home in Grass Valley, California, following congestive heart failure, his daughter, Louann Daley said, adding she was beside him along with two of her brothers, James and Jeff.

last survivor of USS Arizona
 
CTFIREBATTCHIEF

CTFIREBATTCHIEF

Veteran Member
It is a warm, December morning at Pearl harbor, but this time there are no japanese planes beginning their attack dives. The Arizona is not a flaming, shattered wreck, but a gleaming, immaculate example of our Nations seapower. She is tied to her mooring ballards and seems to strain at her lines anxious to get under way.. Our nations colors have been hoisted and the crew is manning the rails as seaman Conter arrives. He climbs the gangway, salutes the Colors and then the OOD. "permission to come aboard, Sir" is asked in a strong young voice. "permission granted sailor and welcome home"is heard in reply. As he steps aboard, the Arizona tugs at her lines, seeming to acknowledge that her crew is now fully assembled on board and that they are ready to go.

A fair wind and following seas Sailor.
 
F

fi103r

Veteran Member
Chester said:
HONOLULU (AP) — Lou Conter, the last living survivor of the USS Arizona battleship that exploded and sank during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, has died. He was 102.

Conter passed away on Monday at his home in Grass Valley, California, following congestive heart failure, his daughter, Louann Daley said, adding she was beside him along with two of her brothers, James and Jeff.

last survivor of USS Arizona
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Rest in Peace
Prayers and Condolences
 
P

Pinecone

Has No Life - Lives on TB
CTFIREBATTCHIEF said:
It is a warm, December morning at Pearl harbor, but this time there are no japanese planes beginning their attack dives. The Arizona is not a flaming, shattered wreck, but a gleaming, immaculate example of our Nations seapower. She is tied to her mooring ballards and seems to strain at her lines anxious to get under way.. Our nations colors have been hoisted and the crew is manning the rails as seaman Conter arrives. He climbs the gangway, salutes the Colors and then the OOD. "permission to come aboard, Sir" is asked in a strong young voice. "permission granted sailor and welcome home"is heard in reply. As he steps aboard, the Arizona tugs at her lines, seeming to acknowledge that her crew is now fully assembled on board and that they are ready to go.

A fair wind and following seas Sailor.
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Passing the tissues. That was beautiful.

May he Rest in Peace. And thank you from this grateful citizen.
 
Wildweasel

Wildweasel

F-4 Phantoms Phorever
WanderLore said:
Used to transport Leo James a fair bit on the rig. He was one of the two last survivors. Got his autograph for son. I think he passed a few years ago. Very nice man.
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Fair winds and following seas, seaman Leo James.

There was an Arizona survivor in our area who passed last year. Can't remember his name but he was in a lot of the Pearl Harbor documentaries on Discovery and History channels.

And yes, as mentioned we are losing WWII vets the way WWI vets died off not long ago. And Korean War vets are closer behind the WWII vets that the WWII vets were behind the WWI vets as they died off and Viet Nam vets are hitting the age where they're starting to die off as well.
 
L.A.B.

L.A.B.

Goodness before greatness.
On the original post in the thread, I was hesitant to post the emojicon of the face with love-hearts as eye’s because it might be misunderstood. Instead, I followed with a sad one, as it relates to the last telephone conversation with my WW-2 Navy Vet uncle in 2005.

“This isn’t the country we intended to leave you” were some of his last words with me on the phone that day.

A few days later he was under hospice care, and passed a few weeks later.

To be honest. It seems like a good thing those old sailors and soldiers are leaving us now. I for one don’t want their eyes or hearts to witness what is to come, looking over their shoulders shaking their heads asking themselves was it all in vain?

In his late 80’s uncle never gave up on his watch. That’s the steel of The Greatest Generation.

Pass that one on to the millennials and zebras.

AMERICA! GIRD YOUR LOINS & HOLD THE LINE! ———> |
 
P

Publius

TB Fanatic
I know I talked to a number of WWI veterans when I was younger. Many of my family was in WWII and all of them have passed away my grand father was the last to die of old age on Oct, 2017 he was 93, he joined the Marine Corp at 17 in 1942 and in 1944 found himself fighting the Japs on Guam, if he was alive today he would be 99 years old.

Now WWII ended in 1945 and any new conscripts would have been 18 & 19 years old at that time, so take 2024 and subtract 1945 and you get the war ended 79 years ago add 18 years old to that you get 97 years old for anyone that was drafted just before the end of the war.
Most of us will not live to be 85 years old never mind seeing 97 or 100 year old, we have very few of these veterans left.
 
O

Old Gray Mare

TB Fanatic
I've posted my belief; Our Lord has been holding back his judgement until the WWII generation has passed. Their time on the stage of life and history is ending. We are poorer for the loss of their passing. They are and were national treasures.
 
Ractivist

Ractivist

Pride comes before the fall.....Pride month ended.
L.A.B. said:
On the original post in the thread, I was hesitant to post the emojicon of the face with love-hearts as eye’s because it might be misunderstood. Instead, I followed with a sad one, as it relates to the last telephone conversation with my WW-2 Navy Vet uncle in 2005.

“This isn’t the country we intended to leave you” were some of his last words with me on the phone that day.

A few days later he was under hospice care, and passed a few weeks later.

To be honest. It seems like a good thing those old sailors and soldiers are leaving us now. I for one don’t want their eyes or hearts to witness what is to come, looking over their shoulders shaking their heads asking themselves was it all in vain?

In his late 80’s uncle never gave up on his watch. That’s the steel of The Greatest Generation.

Pass that one on to the millennials and zebras.

AMERICA! GIRD YOUR LOINS & HOLD THE LINE! ———> |
Click to expand...
Lots of Nam vets still alive, the other ones are rolling in their graves. Let alone those from the Middle East wars.
 
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