2014 USS Arizona Final Toast

Gallery Article by Andrew Desautels AKA "Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy on Nov 4 2016

 

      

December 7, 2014 had been planned as the final pilgrimage of the USS Arizona survivors to Pearl Harbor to pay their respects at the site of their sunken ship and their shipmates entombed within. This had been decided at the 2013 reunion, and a year had gone into its planning. After all, there were only a few survivors remaining, all of them in their 90's, whose age was becoming an obstacle to their ability to travel long distances. Also considered an omen was the fact that the 73rd anniversary of the Japanese attack would fall on a Sunday, as it did on that fateful 1941 morning. 

As part of the ceremonies marking the end of an era, it was decided to include the "Last Man's" bottle of champagne. This had been a gift from the Spanish government to President Gerald Ford for the very last USS Arizona survivor. It had been kept secure at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix, AZ. Since this was intended to be the final pilgrimage, it was decided that all attending USS Arizona survivors (there would be 9 still living as of December 2014) would open it, drink a toast to their fallen shipmates, and pour part the remainder of their drink into the water over the wreck of the USS Arizona. This hearkens back to an old military tradition of drinking a toast at the grave of fallen comrades and pouring the remainder over the grave. 

Then came December 6, 2014, when the membership of the USS Arizona Reunion Association assembled at Pearl Harbor was informed that the attending survivors had announced their intention to continue returning to Pearl Harbor anyway, whether the organization closed down as planned or not! So, although this would not be the last hurrah, as it were, it was decided to proceed with the Final Toast as planned anyway. 

Attending were four of the nine living survivors: Don Stratton, Lauren Bruner, Lou Conter and John Anderson. Don and Lauren escaped the foremast hand-over-hand across a line to the USS Vestal after sustaining severe burns to about 70% of their bodies. Lou and John escaped the burning wreck from further aft. John also carried the pain of losing his twin brother, Jake (Delbert Jacob Anderson), aboard the Arizona. 

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When the champagne was opened aboard the memorial for the ceremony it was found that, due to the cork's shrinking, the contents had spoiled. Fortunately this possibility had been anticipated, and a spare bottle was on hand. I sniffed the original bottle after the ceremony and, sure enough, it was like bitter vinegar.

And so once each survivor's glass was filled, John Anderson was asked to make the toast, as at 97 he was the oldest living survivor. Most of us could not hear what he said, but it was an appropriately long toast before they all raised their glasses and drank in tribute. Then they were led to the rail of the well in the middle of the Memorial and poured the remaining contents into the water over their ship and their shipmates entombed within.

Two of the four glasses were placed into the ship by divers; the remaining two glasses and the bottle were returned to the Arizona State Capitol. Arizona governor Jan Brewer was present for the ceremony to return the glasses and bottle to Phoenix. I have seen many politicians interact with the survivors over the years; most of them steal some of the limelight, enjoying the attention they attract as they "pay tribute." Governor Brewer was not one of these; she was an almost-unannounced witness to this historical event alongside the rest of us.

After the ceremony ended, I captured a special moment; John Anderson went to the wall with the names of the 1,177 killed aboard the ship, and stood pointing to his twin brother's name. He was so frail that I guessed this would be his last time out there; it turns out I was right as he passed away 11 months later in November 2015.

The day's events continued on the shore as each of the survivors rang the ship's bell. Being a capital ship, the Arizona actually had two bells; the other is in the bell tower of the Student Union at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

And so what was to be the Final Toast ended up being not the last pilgrimage; these legends of history are living representations of the poetic verse of Dylan Thomas: 

"Do not go gentle into that good night, 
Old age should burn and rave at the close of day; 
rage, rage against the dying of the light."

Andrew Desautels

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Photos and text © by Andrew Desautels