Ira “Ike” Schab, a World War II Navy veteran and one of the few remaining survivors of the 1941 Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, died at the age of 105 on Saturday while at his home in Beaverton, Oregon. Daughter Kimberlee Heinrichs told the Associated Press that he passed away early in the morning in the presence of her and her husband.
A Life Bookended by History
Schab’s death leaves only about a dozen living witnesses to the surprise attack that killed just over 2,400 troops and propelled the United States into the war. He was 21 when the Japanese planes descended on the naval base, and for decades he rarely spoke about the experience. In recent years, as the corps of survivors dwindled, the centenarian made a point of traveling from his Oregon home to the annual observance at the Hawaii military base.
The Day the World Changed
Born on Independence Day in 1920 in Chicago, Schab was the eldest of three brothers. He joined the Navy at 18, following in the footsteps of his father, he said in a February interview for Pacific Historic Parks. On what began as a peaceful Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, he was playing the tuba in the USS Dobbin’s band, expecting a visit from his brother who was assigned to a nearby naval radio station. He had just showered and donned a clean uniform when he heard a call for fire rescue.
Chaos Aboard the Dobbin
He went topside and saw another ship, the USS Utah, capsizing. Japanese planes roared through the air. “We were pretty startled. Startled and scared to death,” Schab recalled in 2023. “We didn’t know what to expect, and we knew that if anything happened to us, that would be it.”
A Soldier’s Duty
Schab scurried back below deck to grab boxes of ammunition and joined a daisy chain of sailors feeding shells to an anti-aircraft gun above. His ship lost three sailors, according to Navy records. One was killed in action, and two died later of fragment wounds from a bomb that struck the stern. All had been manning an anti-aircraft gun.
Service in the Pacific
Schab spent most of the war with the Navy in the Pacific, going to the New Hebrides, now known as Vanuatu, and then the Mariana Islands and Okinawa, Japan. After the war he studied aerospace engineering and worked on the Apollo spaceflight program as an electrical engineer for General Dynamics, helping send astronauts to the moon.
Family and Legacy
Schab’s son also joined the Navy and is a retired commander. Speaking at a 2022 ceremony, Schab asked people to honor those who served at Pearl Harbor. “Remember what they’re here for. Remember and honor those that are left. They did a hell of a job,” he said. “Those who are still here, dead or alive.”
Recent Years and Final Farewell
In 2023, he spent weeks building up the strength to be able to stand and salute at the Hawaii observance. “To pay honor to the guys that didn’t make it,” he said. He did not feel well enough to attend this year, and less than three weeks later, he passed away.
Key Takeaways
- Ira Schab, 105, was one of the last living survivors of the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack.
- He served in the Navy’s Pacific fleet during World War II and later worked on the Apollo program.
- His death leaves only about a dozen witnesses to the historic bombing.
Schab’s passing marks the end of an era. His life, spanning a pivotal moment in American history, the space race, and decades of service, serves as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made and the enduring legacy of those who lived through it.
