Warren Upton
Warren Upton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 October 1919 El Dorado, California, United States |
| Died | 25 December 2024 (aged 105) Los Gatos, California, United States |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Service years | 1941–1945 1950–1953 |
| Known for | Survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor |
Warren "Red" Upton (17 October 1919 – 25 December 2024)[1][2] was an American World War II veteran who served in the United States Navy. He was one of the last living survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, having been stationed aboard the battleship USS Utah (BB-31).[3]
Early life
Upton was born in El Dorado, California. He enlisted in the United States Navy as a teenager prior to the United States' entry into World War II, part of a generation of young servicemen who joined during the rapid military buildup of the early 1940s.[1]
Military service
Upton was assigned to the battleship USS Utah (BB-31), which was moored at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941. During the Japanese attack, Utah was struck by torpedoes and capsized within minutes.[2]
Upton survived by escaping the overturned vessel under hazardous conditions. Sixty-four crew members were killed aboard Utah, many of whom remain entombed within the ship, which is now a designated war grave.[3]
Following the attack, Upton continued to serve in the Navy as a radioman throughout World War II before being discharged at the conclusion of the conflict. He later served again during the Korean War.[4]
Later life
After the war, Upton returned to civilian life and later settled in California. In his later years, he became active in public education and remembrance efforts, frequently speaking at schools, museums, and memorial events about his experiences at Pearl Harbor and the importance of historical memory.[5]
As the number of living Pearl Harbor survivors declined, Upton gained national recognition as one of the final firsthand witnesses to the attack, often emphasizing the lesser-known loss of the USS Utah compared with other ships sunk that day.[1]
Death
Warren Upton died on 25 December 2024 at a hospital in Los Gatos, California, at the age of 105, after a period of illness with pneumonia.[1][2] At the time of his death, he was widely reported to be the last surviving crew member of the USS Utah and among the final living survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d "Pearl Harbor survivor Warren Upton dies aged 105". The Guardian. 27 December 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
- ^ a b c "Warren 'Red' Upton, Pearl Harbor survivor, dies at 105". CNN. 28 December 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
- ^ a b c "Oldest Pearl Harbor Survivor Dies at Age 105". Naval History. United States Naval Institute. April 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
- ^ Olson, Wyatt (27 December 2024). "Last survivor of USS Utah, sunk during Pearl Harbor attack, dies at age 105". Stars and Stripes.
- ^ "Warren Upton obituary: Oldest Pearl Harbor survivor dies at 105". CBS News. 26 December 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2025.