Last Survivor Of Naval Band Returns To Honor Fallen Colleagues Of Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor survivor Ira "Ike" Schab has returned to Honolulu to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of the horrific 1941 incident.

The Pearl Harbor attack remains one of the darkest moments in the history of the United States, with the centenarian being one of the few sailors who survived the tragic attack. At 103, the veteran is paying tribute to his fallen comrades as the last member of Navy Band 13 and wishes to keep their memories alive.

December 7, 1941, marks an unforgettable moment in Schab's life, and he continues to treasure the memories from this date even though they are unpleasant. The Pearl Harbor attack occurred while the centenarian was serving as a Navy musician aboard the USS Dobbin.

The battleship was anchored off Ford Island when the bombings began, with Schab rushing to help his comrades load the ship's anti-aircraft guns. When asked about the thoughts racing through his mind at this life-threatening moment, the 103-year-old confessed: "Disbelief. I couldn't believe it was happening."

Despite the attack occurring more than eight decades, the Navy veteran noted that each time December 7 rolls in, the memories of the tragic day come with it. "And they're not necessarily pleasant. But I definitely don't want to lose that memory," Schab said, noting that he does not let these painful memories weigh him down.

Instead of wallowing, the centenarian chooses to celebrate the fallen heroes at the annual Pearl Harbor commemoration ceremony with other survivors. However, he is expected to be one of just six survivors at the latest event, per KBTX. The actual number of survivors in attendance depends on how many of these men in their advanced age and frail states can attend.

The reasons for exclusion nearly applied to Schab, who had a scary brush with death months before the event. However, the former Navy musician's determination to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers persevered above his health scare. In the veteran's words:

"There's a certain feeling of comfort and, at the same time, obligation. That's a good word. I owe them. Just like that."

While he brushed off his health ordeal, the centenarian's daughter Kimberlee Heinrichs stressed that it was a terrifying moment for their family. "He got really sick earlier this year, almost left us, really scary," she explained before echoing her father's stubbornness.

"I'm talking to him saying, 'Hey, it's OK if it's, you know.' And he goes, and I quote, 'Hell no! I'm going to Hawaii,'" Heinrichs added. Schab's loved ones also noted the patriarch did not share details about the Pearl Harbor attack until he got older.

When asked why he finally decided to open up as he grew older, the last survivor of Navy Band 13 stated he wished to keep the late crew members' memories alive. In the centenarian's words:

"Because I think I owe to the guys that were there that aren't there anymore. Don't forget it. Don't forget it. Just keep it alive. It's like a living thing."

Photos of the event can be seen here.

The Pearl Harbor ceremony commemorates the assault that propelled the U.S. into World War II and serves as a remembrance of the over 2,300 service members killed in battle. The National WWII Museum also marks the occasion as the "Day That Will Live in Infamy" through articles, oral histories, artifacts, and more on its website.

The country's rocky relationship with Japan sparked the darkest day in America's history. As tensions built between the two nations, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the US Pacific Fleet to transfer from its San Diego, CA homeport to Pearl Harbor, HI.

However, the Imperial Japanese Navy, with the help of Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto, chose to fight back. Japan secretly dispatched all six of his precious "fleet carriers" across 3,000 miles of open ocean, with the fleet arriving a few hundred miles north of the Hawaiian islands.

These carriers launched their aircraft and blindsided the U.S. forces with a brutal attack in the early hours of December 7, 1941. In less than two hours, the Japanese troops had destroyed or damaged 19 U.S. warships and 300 aircraft. Additionally, over 2,400 US servicemen were killed in the assault, with most casualties coming from the crew members on the USS Arizona.

The battleship, which Schab fought on, reportedly sank within minutes after a bomb struck its forward magazine. The explosion caused a chain reaction, igniting over a million pounds of ammunition. To date, the USS Arizona remains in the waters of Pearl Harbor, an eternal reminder of what occurred that horrific morning.