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A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 23 November 2018

Oldest US military survivor of Pearl Harbor dies at age 106

By JOHN ROGERS called in 2016. “And I said,
JULIE WATSON ‘Who is going to attack
Associated Press us?’ “
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ray “She said, ‘The Japanese
Chavez, the oldest U.S. mili- are here, and they’re at-
tary survivor of the Dec. 7, tacking everything.’ “
1941, attack on Pearl Har- He ran back to the harbor
bor that plunged the Unit- to find it in flames.
ed States into World War II, Chavez would spend the
died Wednesday. He was next week there, working
106. around the clock sifting
Chavez, who had been through the destruction
battling pneumonia, died that had crippled the U.S.
in his sleep in the San Di- Navy’s Pacific fleet.
ego suburb of Poway, Later he was assigned to
his daughter, Kathleen the transport ship USS La
Chavez, told The Associ- Salle, ferrying troops, tanks
ated Press. and other equipment to
As recently as last May he war-torn islands across the
had traveled to Washing- Pacific, from Guadalcanal
ton, D.C., where he was to Okinawa.
honored on Memorial Day Although never wounded,
by President Donald Trump. he left the military in 1945
The White House Tweeted In this Dec. 5, 2016, file photo, Ray Chavez, a Pearl Harbor survivor from Poway, Calif., poses for a suffering from post-trau-
a statement Wednesday photo as he was eating breakfast in Honolulu. matic stress disorder that
saying it was saddened to Associated Press left him anxious and shak-
hear of his passing. day that Chavez was the Hours before the attack, By then Chavez, who had ing.
“We were honored to host oldest survivor of the attack he was aboard the mine- worked through the early Returning to San Diego,
him at the White House that killed 2,335 U.S. military sweeper USS Condor as it morning hours, had gone where he had grown up,
earlier this year,” the state- personnel and 68 civilians. patrolled the harbor’s east to his nearby home to he took a job as a land-
ment said. “Thank you for “I still feel a loss,” Chavez entrance when he and sleep, ordering his wife not scaper and groundskee-
your service to our great said during 2016 ceremo- others saw the periscope to wake him because he per, attributing the out-
nation, Ray!” nies marking the attack’s of a Japanese submarine. had been up all night. doors, a healthy diet and
Daniel Martinez, chief his- 75th anniversary. “We They notified a destroyer “It seemed like I only slept a strict workout program
torian for the National Park were all together. We were that sunk it shortly before about 10 minutes when she that he continued into his
Service at Pearl Harbor, Ha- friends and brothers. I feel Japanese bombers arrived called me and said, ‘We’re early 100s with restoring his
waii, confirmed Wednes- close to all of them.” to strafe the harbor. being attacked,’ “ he re- health.q

Police arrest MMA fighter

for beating UFC fighter wife

By AUDREY McAVOY, Asso- Berdon, 27, was in custody
ciated Press Wednesday after turning
HONOLULU (AP) — Hono- himself in the day before.
lulu police arrested mixed Police declined to make
martial arts fighter Arnold him available for com-
Berdon on charges of at- ment. His attorney’s name
tempted murder after he was not immediately avail-
allegedly punched his wife able.
and fellow fighter in the Ostovich Berdon’s peti-
head, face and ribs, frac- tion said he also hit her in
turing her eye socket. May, when he repeatedly
His wife, Rachael Ostovich punched her thighs and
Berdon, filed a request for a left her with bruises.
temporary restraining order A judge granted the re-
alleging he punched her straining order that prohib-
on Sunday after a night out its Berdon from approach-
with family. She said she fell ing both Ostovich Berdon
to the ground, gasped for and the couple’s daugh-
air and escaped through ter, who is about 5 years
a balcony. The 27-year-old old.
said she coughed up blood Butler-Au said Ostovich
and threw up several times. Berdon was home from
Her representative, Brian the hospital and will be
Butler-Au, posted on so- returning for checkups on
cial media that Ostovich the fracture to her orbital
Berdon won’t compete in bone. He said the family
a UFC bout against Paige is asking for privacy while
VanZant scheduled for Jan. they “sort through” what’s
19 because of her injuries. happened.q