The ranks of those who witnessed one of the most pivotal moments of the 20th century have grown thinner with the passing of Ira “Ike” Schab, a World War II Navy veteran and one of the last remaining survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was 105 years old.
A Final Salute to Fallen Comrades
Schab died peacefully at his home in Beaverton, Oregon, in the early hours of Saturday, 21 December 2024, with his daughter Kimberlee Heinrichs and her husband by his side. His death leaves only an estimated dozen survivors of the surprise Japanese assault on 7 December 1941, which claimed over 2,400 American lives and thrust the United States into the global conflict.
For many years, Schab was reticent about his experiences. However, in his later life, conscious that his generation was fading, he became dedicated to ensuring their sacrifice was not forgotten. The centenarian made regular pilgrimages from Oregon to Hawaii for the annual commemorations at the historic military base. “To pay honor to the guys that didn’t make it,” he explained in 2023.
His commitment was profound. For the 2023 ceremony, he spent weeks preparing his strength simply to stand and deliver a salute. This year, however, he was not well enough to attend. He passed away less than three weeks later.
The Day That Changed Everything
Born on the 4th of July, 1920, in Chicago, Schab followed his father into the Navy at the age of 18. By December 1941, he was a 21-year-old sailor and a tuba player in the band aboard the USS Dobbin.
The morning of the attack began as a calm Sunday. Schab, freshly showered and in a clean uniform, was anticipating a visit from his brother, who was stationed nearby. The peace was shattered by a call for fire rescue. Rushing topside, he witnessed the horrifying sight of the USS Utah capsizing and Japanese aircraft filling the sky.
“We were pretty startled. Startled and scared to death,” Schab recalled in a 2023 interview. “We didn’t know what to expect, and we knew that if anything happened to us, that would be it.”
He immediately sprang into action, scrambling below deck to retrieve ammunition boxes. He then joined a daisy chain of sailors frantically feeding shells to an anti-aircraft gun on deck. The Dobbin lost three men that day; one killed instantly and two later succumbing to wounds from a bomb strike on the ship's stern. All had been manning an anti-aircraft gun.
A Life of Service and Science
Schab continued to serve in the Navy throughout the war in the Pacific, seeing postings in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu), the Mariana Islands, and Okinawa. After the war, he channeled his discipline into education, studying aerospace engineering.
He embarked on a distinguished second career as an electrical engineer with General Dynamics, where he contributed to the monumental Apollo spaceflight programme, helping to achieve the goal of landing astronauts on the moon. The tradition of service continued in his family; his son also served in the Navy and retired as a commander.
In a 2022 commemorative ceremony, Schab distilled his decades of reflection into a simple, powerful plea: “Remember what they’re here for. Remember and honor those that are left. They did a hell of a job. Those who are still here, dead or alive.” With his passing, the duty to remember falls now to those who follow.
