Survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor dies at 106
Share and Follow


LEXINGTON, Ky. (WDKY) — Vaughn P. Drake Jr., who was on Oahu during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor has died, according to an obituary.

At 106, Drake was believed to be the oldest known U.S. survivor of the Battle of Pearl Harbor, his obituary read. Drake died on April 7.

He was born on Nov. 6, 1918, in Winchester, Kentucky. He studied at the University of Kentucky College of Engineering before serving in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II, where he saw combat at the battles of Pearl Harbor and Saipan in the Pacific Theater.

Drake previously told the Lexington Herald Leader that was tasked with building barracks on Oahu’s eastern edge. The morning of the attack on Pearl Harbor, he said he was going to breakfast when the Japanese planes began flying over.

Outside of his military service, Drake served his community for over 50 years in the engineering trade. In the 1940s and 1950s, his work was critical in designing and placing underground telephone conduits in Lexington, Morehead, and Ashland. He retired in 1981.

His obituary said that Drake was a member of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels and also received the Mayor’s Spirit of Lexington Award.

Drake was reportedly a life member of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association and a life member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. He is survived by a son, two grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements for Drake will take place at Milward Funeral Directors on April 17.

Only about a dozen survivors of the attack are alive today, the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors previously reported.

Last spring, Lou Conter, the last living survivor of the USS Arizona battleship that exploded and sank during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, died. He was 102. Weeks earlier, Richard C. “Dick” Higgins, a radioman assigned to a patrol squadron of seaplanes based at the Hawaii naval base, died at 102.

In December, Warren Upton, labeled as the oldest living survivor from Pearl Harbor and the last remaining survivor of the USS Utah, died at 105. Days later, Harry Chandler, a Navy medic who helped tend to injured soldiers after the attack, died at a Florida senior living center.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

US Military Executes Targeted Strike in Caribbean, Eliminates Three Suspected Drug Smugglers

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The United States military has executed another…

Energy Secretary Confirms Trump’s Nuclear Testing Strategy Excludes Explosive Trials

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – In a recent development, Energy Secretary Chris…

Oklahoma Triumphs Over Tennessee in Knoxville, Handing Vols Their Third Defeat of the Season

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — In a highly anticipated matchup, Tennessee hosted Oklahoma…

Non-Profits Grapple with Increased Demand as SNAP Benefits Halt During Government Shutdown

TAMPA, Fla. — The United States has marked one month of the…

Orlando Condo Inferno: 26 Displaced as Red Cross Steps In to Aid Fire Victims

ORLANDO, Fla. – A fire erupted at a condominium complex in Orlando…

Multistate Lottery Game Launching in 2026 Offers Lifetime Millionaire Opportunity

(NEXSTAR) — Most people have heard of Powerball and Mega Millions, the…

Experience Luxury on Wheels at Hilton Head Island’s Annual Concours d’Elegance

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — This past weekend, the Port Royal Golf…

Tragic Loss in Odesa: Russian Attacks on Power Grid Claim Two Lives Amid Ongoing Conflict

KYIV – Ukrainian officials reported a drone strike in the southwestern Odesa…