LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT/Gray News) – A Kentucky man known as the oldest Pearl Harbor survivor has died at 106 years old.
Vaughn P. Drake Jr. was one of the last known survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor and believed to be the oldest before his death, according to a release.
Drake was reportedly 23 years old when he was stationed at Kaneohe Naval Air Station on Oahu as an Army engineer during the attack on Dec. 7, 1941.
Beyond Pearl Harbor, Drake also witnessed the Battle of Saipan, a turning point for the U.S. in World War II.
Drake received several commendations, including the World War II Victory Medal and a special congressional medal dedicated to Pearl Harbor veterans.
After the war, Drake returned to Kentucky where he worked as an engineer in the private sector.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Lina Wilson Drake, and their son, Samuel Drake. He also has two grandsons and three great-grandchildren.
“To us, he was more than a hero,” Samuel Drake said. “He was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather and a humble man who lived with integrity every single day.”
Drake will have a military burial at Winchester Cemetery on April 17.
His full obituary is available here.
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