Alexander Horanzy was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II who was a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
- Died: October 1, 2020 (Who else died on October 1?)
- Details of death: Died of heart failure in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania at the age of 98.
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Pearl Harbor and after
Horanzy was stationed with the 24th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks on December 7, 1941, when Japanese planes bombed Pearl Harbor. Horanzy was loading trucks with ammunition, in case the base needed to be defended from ground troops, when low-flying enemy planes made them run for cover. His division responded to the attack, shooting down five Japanese planes and becoming the first U.S. Army soldiers to engage with the Japanese in World War II. Horanzy found a Japanese flag in one of those downed planes and kept it as a souvenir. As the war continued, he went on to fight in New Guinea. After World War II, Horanzy worked for the Department of Defense at the Frankford Arsenal, and he talked to school groups and others about his experiences in the war. Horanzy was a founding member and president of the Philadelphia Liberty Bell Chapter of Pearl Harbor Survivors, and he was the chapter’s last living member.
Horanzy’s memories of the attack
“There was no mistaking it. Japanese planes were flying so low their red circle insignia and even the heads of the pilots could be seen from the ground.” —from an interview for PearlHarbor.org
Tributes to Alexander Horanzy
Full obituary: Philadelphia Inquirer
