Military Matters: Lost Treasure

For most Americans stories of one of the nation’s most callous attacks in history can only be found in archives. But, for thousands of men and women serving and working on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the memories are all too real. In Hawaii, the battleship’s watery grave has become a tourist attraction where people can pay their respects to the 1,102 souls lost when Japanese fighters sank the battleship that bears the Arizona name.

The passing of Lonnie David Cook earlier this week is a somber reminder that the country is losing a special breed of warrior. Cook was one of five USS Arizona survivors; according to the Associated Press Cook’s daughter Pat Cunanan told AP reporters that her father rarely spoke about what happened. But, Cunanan says her father credits the gun turret he was in for his survival; the USS Arizona was equipped with 14 turrets all armed with 45-calliber guns.

Cook’s daughter tells the AP that her father passed away in his California home, he was 98-years old.