Warren Upton was a U.S. Navy veteran and the last remaining survivor of the bombing of the USS Utah at Pearl Harbor.
- Died: December 25, 2024 (Who else died on December 25?)
- Details of death: Died at a hospital in Los Gatos, California at the age of 105.
- We invite you to share condolences for Warren Upton in our Guest Book.
Warren Upton’s legacy
Upton joined the Navy after graduating from high school, and he was stationed in Hawaii for several years. On December 7, 1941, he was serving on the USS Utah, a training ship that was moored at Pearl Harbor. When the ship was hit – by mistake, as it was later revealed – Upton was below deck, about to shave. The ship quickly began to capsize, and he joined the sailors abandoning ship. He was able to swim to safety, helping a shipmate as he went, and he sheltered in a ditch on a small islet as the attack continued. Fifty-eight of the USS Utah’s 519 crew members were killed.
As the U.S. entered World War II, Upton continued to serve, contributing his skill with Morse Code. He served through the war’s end in 1945, then joined the Navy Reserve. He returned to action in the Korean War.
Later, Upton settled in California’s Bay Area, where he worked as a bank teller and a radio technician, doing electronics repair for such companies as United Airlines and General Electric. He became a leader in his local chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.
Upton on the attack
“It’s a thing to never forget. We can’t let down our guard.” — from a 2021 interview for KTVU
Tributes to Warren Upton
Full obituary: The Washington Post
