World War II United States Navy veteran Ira Ike Schab, one of the last surviving witnesses to the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, has died at the age of 105, marking the passing of another living link to one of the most pivotal moments in American history.
Schab’s daughter, Kimberlee Heinrichs, confirmed his death to The Associated Press. She said he passed away peacefully at his home early Saturday, surrounded by close family, including her and her husband.
With Schab’s death, the number of living survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack has dwindled to about a dozen. The surprise assault on December 7, 1941, claimed the lives of more than 2,400 American service members and wounded over 1,000 others. The attack fundamentally altered the course of global history by drawing the United States into World War II.
At the time of the bombing, Schab was only 21 years old and serving as a sailor in the United States Navy. For much of his life, he spoke sparingly about his experiences during the attack, choosing instead to quietly carry the memories of that day. In later years, however, he became more vocal, recognizing the importance of preserving firsthand accounts as the generation of Pearl Harbor survivors continued to fade.
In recent years, despite his advanced age, Schab made repeated trips from his home in Beaverton, Oregon, to Hawaii to attend the annual Pearl Harbor remembrance ceremonies. He said his motivation was to honor fallen comrades who did not survive the attack.
“I go to pay honor to the guys that did not make it,” he said during a 2023 interview.
For the 2024 commemoration, Schab reportedly spent weeks building up his physical strength so he could stand and salute during the ceremony. However, by the time of this year’s observance, his health had declined, making travel impossible. Less than three weeks after the anniversary, he passed away.
Schab was born on Independence Day in 1920 in Chicago, Illinois, the eldest of three brothers. He enlisted in the Navy at the age of 18, following the path of his father, a decision he later described with pride during a February interview conducted by Pacific Historic Parks.
On the morning of December 7, 1941, Schab was stationed aboard the USS Dobbin, where he also played the tuba in the ship’s band. What began as a peaceful Sunday quickly descended into chaos. Schab had just finished showering and put on a clean uniform in anticipation of a visit from his brother, who was assigned to a nearby naval radio station, when he heard a call for fire rescue.
He went topside and witnessed the USS Utah capsizing as Japanese aircraft thundered overhead, dropping bombs and strafing ships throughout the harbor.
“We were pretty startled, startled and scared to death,” Schab recalled in a 2023 interview. “We did not know what to expect, and we knew that if anything happened to us, that would be it.”
Reacting quickly, Schab returned below deck to retrieve boxes of ammunition. He then joined a coordinated line of sailors passing shells hand to hand to an antiaircraft gun positioned above deck, contributing to the desperate defense effort
According to United States Navy records, the USS Dobbin lost three sailors during the attack. One was killed instantly, while two later died from fragment wounds sustained when a bomb struck the stern of the ship. All three had been manning an antiaircraft gun at the time.
Following the Pearl Harbor attack, Schab continued his service throughout the Pacific theater. He was deployed to the New Hebrides, now known as Vanuatu, and later served in the Mariana Islands and Okinawa, Japan, supporting naval operations until the war’s end.
After the war, Schab returned to civilian life and pursued higher education in aerospace engineering. He went on to work as an electrical engineer for General Dynamics, where he played a role in the Apollo spaceflight program. His work contributed to the missions that successfully sent astronauts to the moon, marking another chapter in a life shaped by historic moments.
Schab’s commitment to service extended to his family. His son also joined the United States Navy and later retired with the rank of commander.
In one of his final public appearances at a Pearl Harbor remembrance ceremony in 2022, Schab urged Americans to remember the sacrifices made by those who served during the attack.
“Remember what they are 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.”
Schab’s death closes another chapter in the living history of Pearl Harbor, leaving behind a legacy of service, resilience, and remembrance that continues to resonate more than eight decades after that fateful day.
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