Harry Chandler, a Navy medic who survived Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, has died at the age of 103. Chandler passed away on Monday at a senior living center in Tequesta, Florida, according to Ron Mahaffee, the husband of his granddaughter Kelli Fahey. While Chandler had congestive heart failure, his advanced age was also cited as a cause of death.
Chandler’s passing marks the loss of another of the few remaining survivors of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack, which claimed over 2,300 American lives and plunged the United States into World War II. He is the third Pearl Harbor survivor to die in recent weeks. Bob Fernandez, who served on the USS Curtiss, died earlier this month at age 100, and Warren Upton, a USS Utah crew member, passed away last week at 105.
Why It Matters
As a hospital corpsman 3rd class stationed at Aiea Heights, overlooking Pearl Harbor, Chandler witnessed the attack’s devastation firsthand. He had said in 2023 that he initially mistook the incoming Japanese planes for U.S. aircraft until he saw bombs dropping. “I thought they were planes coming in from the States until I saw the bombs dropping,” he recalled.
Chandler and his unit rushed to assist the injured, boarding boats to pull wounded sailors from the oil-covered waters. Despite the chaos, Chandler said he was too focused on saving lives to feel fear, reflecting later on the narrow margins of survival.
What To Know
The attack on Pearl Harbor killed 2,403 U.S. servicemen, with nearly half perishing aboard the USS Arizona. Chandler’s harrowing experiences remained vivid decades later. During a 2023 ceremony marking the attack’s 82nd anniversary, he remarked, “I look out there, and I can still see what’s going on.”
Chandler’s postwar life included running a painting and upholstery business with his brother. He continued his naval service in the reserves, retiring in 1981 as a senior chief. Born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, he spent much of his life in South Hadley before dividing his time between Massachusetts and Florida in later years.
An avid golfer, Chandler achieved five hole-in-ones during his lifetime. He is survived by two daughters, nine grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren. His second wife, Anna Chandler, passed away in 2004.
What People Are Saying
Harry Chandler: “It got so busy you weren’t scared. Weren’t scared at all. We were busy. It was after you got scared.”
Military historian J. Michael Wenger, estimates that there were some 87,000 military personnel on the island of Oahu the day of the attack. With Chandler’s death only 15 are still living, according to a tally maintained by the California state chair of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors.
What Happens Next
Chandler’s legacy as a Pearl Harbor survivor underscores the importance of preserving firsthand accounts of pivotal historical events. Memorials and oral histories continue to honor the sacrifices of his generation, ensuring their stories endure.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press
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