Last Living Survivor of USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, Lou Conter, Passes Away at 102

Lou Conter, the last living survivor of the USS Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, has sadly passed away at the age of 102. Conter died on Monday morning in Grass Valley, California, surrounded by his family, according to his daughter who confirmed the news to KCRA 3. He had been in hospice care for the past four weeks.

Funeral arrangements are currently being made for Conter, and there will be a ceremony held with full military honors to commemorate his service and sacrifice.

Conter, who enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 18, shared his harrowing story and recollections of the attack on Pearl Harbor with KCRA 3 last year. After enlisting, Conter was assigned to the USS Arizona, which was one of the 100 ships anchored at Pearl Harbor.

On that fateful morning in December 1941, Conter was at his post as a quartermaster when the first Japanese plane crossed the sky. The devastating attack unfolded quickly, with dive-bombing planes targeting battleships like the Arizona. Conter and his fellow servicemen fought tirelessly to battle the fires and tend to the wounded amidst the chaos, but ultimately, 2,400 Americans lost their lives and another 1,100 were injured.

In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, Conter was sent to flight school and became a pilot for the Black Cats, the country's first stealth bomber unit. Their missions were carried out under the cover of darkness, flying at night with no markings on their planes. Despite the dangers they faced, Conter survived not only being shot down off the coast of New Guinea but also being stranded in enemy territory for days. Throughout his military career, he served for 28 years before retiring as a lieutenant commander in 1967.

Conter's passing marks the end of an era, as he was the last living survivor from the USS Arizona. Ken Potts, another survivor, had passed away in April 2023. Conter had expressed a desire to make one final trip to Hawaii in December but ultimately decided that he did not have the strength to do so.

While many consider Conter and his fellow servicemen heroes, he humbly stated that the true heroes were those who lost their lives that day, sacrificing everything for their country. Conter emphasized that he was fortunate to have returned home, built a family, and lived a long life, while the fallen servicemen were lost forever.

The legacy of Lou Conter and his fellow comrades at Pearl Harbor will forever be remembered and honored for their bravery and sacrifice. May he rest in peace.

(Note: Information about World War II and the Korean War mentioned in the text provided have been excluded from the article as they are not relevant to the focus on Lou Conter and his experiences at Pearl Harbor.)