Oldest known Pearl Harbor survivor, Kentucky native dies at 106

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- One of the last known survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor died earlier this month.

Vaughn P. Drake Jr., who was born in Winchester, Kentucky, was believed to be the oldest survivor of Pearl Harbor. He died April 7, 2025, at the age of 106.

More than 2,400 U.S. military servicemembers were killed when the Empire of Japan attacked the United States' Pacific Fleet at its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941. The attack led the U.S. into entering World War II.

Drake served with honor in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. He was stationed at Kaneohe Naval Air Station on Oahu at 23 years old.

He shared his perspective on the surprise attack to the Lexington Herald-Leader in a 2016 interview,

"We were getting ready to go to breakfast and we heard all these planes flying over and making a lot of noise," he said. "... We just figured it was the Army Air Corps carrying out maneuvers."

Drake and fellow soldiers watched in disbelief as Japanese planes dove overhead, according to a news release.

"We thought 'Boy, they're really putting on a good show,'" he told the Herald-Leader.

But he said an officer shouted "This is an attack. The Japanese are attacking the whole island."

Drake witnessed the Battle of Saipan in the Marianas and received numerous commendations. He also received the World War II Victory Medal and a special congressional medal honoring Pearl Harbor veterans.

After the war, Drake returned to Kentucky. He had a successful career as an engineer. He married Lina Wilson Drake, and they shared 65 years of marriage until she died in 2011. They had a son named Samuel.

"My father never sought the spotlight, but he understood the importance of remembering and honoring history," Samuel Drake said in a news release. "He was proud of his service and proud to be part of a generation that stood up in defense of freedom. To us, he was more than a hero, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, and a humble man who lived with integrity every single day."

A military burial honoring Drake's life and legacy will be held at Winchester Cemetery on April 17. To read the full obituary, click here.

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