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104-year-old veteran: Memories of Pearl Harbor attack never fade away

Reporter: Ding Siyue 丨 CCTV.com

12-07-2016 12:43 BJT

104-year-old veteran Ray Chavez was among the survivors who returned to Hawaii's Pearl Harbor. He said he will never forget the day of the attack, which happened 75 years ago.

Ray Chavez is the oldest known living US military veteran of Pearl Harbor.

Since that fateful day in December of 1941, Chavez has made regular trips back to Hawaii to honor his fallen countrymen.

A six-hour plane ride might seem daunting for someone at his advanced age, but Chavez has been preparing for this event for a while by lifting weights, doing sit-ups and riding a stationary bike.

"I can't forget it. I never will," he said.

More than seven decades later, the memory still haunts him.

Chavez was at the naval base of Pearl Harbor when the Japanese bombings started.

"That day so many innocent people were lost," he said.

Over 2400 US soldiers have died in the attack and some 1200 more injured. Many battleship together with 188 aircraft were destroyed.



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