The USS Utah was serving as a demilitarized target ship on the fateful date of December 7, 1941, during the infamous attack at Pearl Harbor. Its non-combatant status notwithstanding, it still was attacked by Japanese pilots, killing 58 crew members. Utah had been one of the pre-WWI battleships but had been repurposed as a target ship following the London Naval Treaty that sought to limit the amount of naval firepower. This demilitarization left her exposed in case of an attack since her armor had become minimal.
The Japanese torpedo bombers were instructed not to waste their torpedoes on the Utah, since it was non-operational. In all the confusion, however, six out of eight Soryu torpedo bombers fired at the ship, two hitting the mark. This miscalculation made the Utah capsize in a few minutes, trapping many of her crew inside.
Among the survivors was one John Vaessan, fireman second class, who stayed with the ship to keep the lights on for his companions to get away with. The unfortunate thing was that Vaessan, after being picked up two days later, died of unknown causes-probably from some extreme exposure he had gone through.
The Utah was righted but was found to be of too little military value to raise, it joined the Arizona and Oklahoma in never returning to service. A memorial for the USS Utah was dedicated, much less accessible to the public, primarily visited by those with U.S. Military Identification, in 1972.
Adding an ironic poignancy to the story of Utah is the fate of Chief Yeoman Albert Thomas Dewitt Wagner, who had planned a ceremonial burial at sea for his dead infant daughter, Baby Nancy. Her ashes were in an urn in his locker when the Utah went down. The daughter, Mary Dianne Wagner Kreigh, said she is proud to think my twin sister is among such “wonderful and brave men.”
The remembrance of the USS Utah and its crew has still been remembered, with centenarian survivors returning to this day to Pearl Harbor. Ira “Ike” Schab was on board the USS Dobbin on the day of the attack and still remembers how chaotic and terrifying it was. Now he is 103 years old and returning to give homage to those who had fallen as his comrades, a very strong spirit well carried into old age for those who lived through the harrowing events of December 7, 1941.
With fewer and fewer living Pearl Harbor survivors remaining today, the urge to capture and preserve their stories is increasingly vital. David Kilton with the National Park Service said, you can have the best storyteller in the world, but you’re never going to get it quite like you do with those who have lived through it.
The legacy left by the USS Utah and her crew remains one of sacrifice on that fateful day and a testament to bravery and service never to be forgotten.