USA: Survivor of Pearl Harbor Remembered

A Pearl Harbor survivor and USS Pyro (AE1) Sailor was remembered in an intimate sunrise ceremony in which his ashes were committed into the waters of Pearl Harbor near the Arizona Memorial, May 14.

Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Rear Adm. Frank Caldwell helped honor the late Donald Green by presiding over the ceremony.

“As those shipmates who experienced World War II firsthand pass, it is important for us in service today to seek out their stories, share their experiences and continue to ‘Never Forget’ the lessons of history,“ remarked Caldwell.

Green was a Chief Petty Officer who along with his twin brother George, served on the ammunition ship USS Pyro (AE1) docked in Pearl Harbor during the attack by the Japanese on Dec. 7, 1941.

In an article by Kitsap Navy News published May 15, 2011, Green said he and his twin brother joined the Navy on their 18th birthdays to better themselves.

 “It was just perfect for a guy like me,” said Green in the article. “It was something I could do to give myself a good life.”

“On one hand Pearl Harbor was a beautiful place,” said Green. “But the loss of great lives during that war was hard to deal with.”

In the interview by COMSUBPAC Public Affairs, Green, originally from New Bedford, Mass., said he and brother George were fortunate to be stationed together on Pyro, and fortunate to make it out alive that infamous day.

After Sailing on Pyro, he continued his Navy career in other places such as Alaska, Washington state, the South Pacific, and New Hebrides Islands.

Green has spoken at schools, Navy forums, and other events over the past several years about his experiences in Pearl Harbor.

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Press Release, May 14, 2013; Image: Navy