Pearl Harbor Survivor Bob Fernandez Dies at 100

Bob Fernandez, a 100-year-old survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack, passed away peacefully in Lodi, California, after a decline in health prevented him from attending the 83rd anniversary remembrance ceremony. A sailor aboard the USS Curtiss during the December 7, 1941, bombing, Fernandez was known for his accounts of the chaos he experienced as a 17-year-old mess cook. He recalled the fear and uncertainty he felt as he and his fellow sailors awaited orders to defend their ship, which ultimately lost 21 men and suffered numerous injuries. Fernandez had been planning to return to Pearl Harbor for the commemoration but was too weak to make the trip. His nephew remarked, 'It was his time,' reflecting on his family's acceptance of his passing. Fernandez's legacy as one of the last living witnesses of the attack contributes to the historical memory of that tragic day.