 1915 - 2007
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| Name |
John Horatio Earle, Jr. |
| Suffix |
Jr. |
| Born |
07 Jan 1915 |
Reading, Berks Co, Pennsylvania  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Died |
23 Jan 2007 |
Honolulu, Honolulu Co, Hawaii |
| Obituary |
26 Jan 2007 |
Honolulu Advertiser, Honolulu, Honolulu Co, Hawaii |
- John Earle, led Marines in WWII
By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer
John Earle
Most of the Marines under John Earle's new command aboard the USS Arizona died in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and for years Earle felt lucky to have been on shore on Dec. 7, 1941.
"I've known of that story ever since I was a child," said Earle's son, Thomas, who teaches seventh-grade English at Punahou School. "It was a lucky deal. He was supposed to spend the night on the ship, but the guy he was relieving told him, 'Go home to your wife in Waikiki.' "
John Earle, who went on to a 20-year career in the Marines, retired at the rank of colonel and later taught history at the University of Hawai'i, died Tuesday night at The Queen's Medical Center. He was 92.
On Dec. 6, 1941, then-Capt. Earle transferred from the USS Tennessee and took over the Marine detachment aboard the Arizona berthed next door. He considered himself more of a USS Tennessee survivor, Thomas Earle said, but the men of the USS Arizona nevertheless regard Earle as one of their own to this day.
"He didn't even have a chance to get acquainted with anyone on board and he was not aboard when the bombs dropped," said Vincent Vlach, an Arizona yeoman first class who keeps track of Arizona survivors from a care home in Riverside, Calif. "But he's definitely an Arizona survivor."
In a remembrance for the Pearl Harbor Survivors Project, Earle later wrote that he had taken over a detachment of 85 Marines, although Vlach's records put the number at 88.
Earle wrote that 12 Marines survived; Vlach believes it was 15.
Whatever the number, Earle "knew he was lucky not to be aboard," said Vlach, who ran into Earle years later at Arizona survivors' reunions. "I was ashore myself or else they would have been sweeping up my ashes. They would have been sweeping up his ashes, too."
John Horatio Earle was born in Reading, Pa., in 1915, graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1936 when he was commissioned a second lieutenant, and was one of five brothers who fought in World War II and survived.
After the Japanese attack, Earle led Marine units preparing for a Japanese attack on O'ahu while his wife, Barbara, got a job with naval intelligence to avoid being evacuated. (Barbara later taught English at Punahou School).
Even though poor vision initially kept Earle out of flight school, the attack gave him a second chance as a Marine aviator. He went on to command a dive bomber squadron in the Philippines and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal.
In his civilian life, Earle became active in the Hawaii Watercolor Society and pursued interests in history, travel and fly fishing.
He is survived by Barbara, his wife of 68 years; sons John and Thomas, both of Honolulu; daughters Jane Earle-Dabrowski of Honolulu and Susan McLane of New Braunfels, Texas; six grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.
A private inurnment is scheduled for Feb. 5 at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl.
Services are scheduled for 4 p.m. Feb. 6 at Central Union Church's Atherton Chapel. The family requests no flowers.
Honolulu Advertiser 26 Jan 2007
|
| Obituary |
26 Jan 2007 |
Star Bulletin, Honolulu, Honolulu Co, Hawaii |
- John Earle / 1915-2007
Isles lose their last Arizona survivor
Heart failure claims a local man who was at Pearl Harbor
By Gregg K. Kakesako
gkakesako@starbulletin.com
John Horatio Earle, believed to be last crew member of the battleship USS Arizona living in Hawaii, died of heart failure Tuesday at the Queen's Medical Center.
The national USS Arizona Survivors Association has considered retired Marine Col. Earle, who celebrated his 92nd birthday with a glass of champagne on Jan. 7, the only crew member still living in Hawaii. He was one of 85 Marines assigned to the Arizona, which was sunk in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
Ruth Campbell, who headed last year's reunion of Arizona survivors, told the Star-Bulletin there are no records of how many of Arizona's 334 sailors who survived the Japanese attack are still living today.
The records of her association can account for only 34 Arizona survivors. The group has held a Honolulu reunion every five years since 1978.
In the fall of 1941, Earle had just been promoted to captain and was assigned to the battleship USS Tennessee and ordered to the Arizona on Dec. 6.
Earle recounted in the Pearl Harbor Survivor Oral Project that throughout Dec. 6, until 9:30 that night, he was involved in taking inventory.
Earle did not spend the night on the Arizona. He was with his wife in their Ala Wai apartment.
The next morning, from the lanai of his Waikiki apartment, Earle said, he could "see anti-aircraft bursts covering the area."
He caught a cab to Pearl Harbor with sailors from the Tennessee, and when they arrived at Pearl Harbor, it "looked like a scene from the Inferno. The second attack wave was still in progress, and the Arizona, already destroyed, was belching thick black smoke that was to continue for days."
Earle caught a boat from Merry Point Landing to Ford Island, "a scene of complete devastation."
Earle said 12 enlisted Marines from his 85-member detachment had swum to Ford Island and taken refuge in a bomb shelter just a few feet from where the Arizona was berthed.
After the Japanese attack, Earle led Marine detachments fortifying and preparing to defend Lualualei Ammunition Depot in Waianae against possible Japanese landings.
His daughter, Jane Earle-Dabrowski, a Punahou School teacher, said her father initially wanted to be a Marine pilot after graduating from Virginia Military Institute in 1936, but had flunked the flight exam because of his vision.
"Following the attack on Pearl Harbor," Earle-Dabrowski said, "vision requirements were relaxed. It was one eye, two eyes ... yep, you were qualified, my dad would later joke."
Earle graduated from flight school in 1942 and commanded a dive-bomber squadron in the Philippines, flying Corsairs and SBDs.
His World War II combat awards included the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal. Earle retired from the Marine Corps in 1961 and joined his family, which moved to Hawaii in 1958.
Earle attended graduate school at the University of Hawaii and would later teach history there.
His daughter said her father was an avid painter and was active in the Hawaii Watercolor Society. His home near Punahou School was decorated with watercolors he had painted during the numerous trips he took with his wife, Barbara, a retired Punahou School teacher to whom he had been married for 68 years.
"My father would decorate the sonnets he wrote for my mother with watercolors. He wrote sonnets for every occasion. They were an amazing couple."
Earle was born on Jan. 7, 1915, in Reading, Pa.
Other survivors include sons John and Thomas, daughter Susan McLane, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Private inurnment will be held Feb. 5 at the National Cemetery of the Pacific.
Memorial services will be held at 4 p.m. Feb. 6 at Central Union Church. The family requests no flowers.
|
| Buried |
05 Feb 2007 |
National Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Honolulu Co, Hawaii |
| Notes |
- December 7, 1941, Experience of John H. Earle, (Col., USMC Ret.)
As a First Lieutenant USMC, I had served in the Marine Detachment, USS TENNESSEE, from June 1940. But my promotion to Captain in the Fall of 1941 made me over-rank for the TENNESSEE Marine Detachment, already commanded by a Captain. Accordingly, orders came directing me to report to the USS ARIZONA, to take over command of that ship's detachment from Alan Shapley, (later Lieut. General), who, having been promoted to Major, was then over-rank for the billet of detachment commander.
The problem, not solved for several weeks, was how and when I could carry out these new orders. The reason for the delay was that the TENNESSEE was flagship of BATDIV 2 while the ARIZONA was in BATDIV 3, and for several week the Pacific Battle Fleet had rotated in and out of Pearl Harbor in divided groupings, with BATDIV 2 and 4 at sea while the odd-numbered BATDIVS were tied up in Pearl Harbor, with crews on liberty.
Then, according to the current operating schedule, rotation would take place, the even-numbered BATDIVS would return to Pearl Harbor - always at General Quarters and with ammunition at the guns - while the odd-numbered BATDIVS would sortie from the Harbor in an equal state of readiness for Anti-submarine Warfare Defense. And so it was, that not until 6 December, 1941, as the Japanese knew in advance and the world now knows, that the entire Battle Fleet (luckily minus the carriers) tied up in Pearl Harbor, with the ARIZONA tied up immediately astern of the TENNESSEE. At last I could carry out my orders.
Accordingly, after logging out on the TENNESSEE, I reported aboard the ARIZONA with all my gear. Major Shapley formally presented me to the ship's captain, Captain Van Falkenburg, as his Marine relief. Then Major Shapley and I began the inventory of Marine Detachment property so that I could assume accountability in time for him to depart for the Mainland on the fleet oiler USS NEOSHO, scheduled to leave Pearl Harbor the morning of Sunday, 7 December, 1941.
Inventory of Detachment property was a lengthy and hot business conducted near the double bottoms of the ship. When, along about 9:30 P.M., Major Shapley suggested we take a break, go ashore for a beer at the Officers' Club and then return to finish the job, I readily agreed. At the Club we encountered a group of young ARIZONA officers, one of whom was celebrating his birthday. As a shipmate, he of course knew Major Shapley and invited him to join their group.
At this point, Major Shapley suggested I go home to my young wife in Waikiki, returning early the next morning to finish the inventory with him. Having been at sea for several weeks and eager to see my wife, I left as soon as a taxi could be found. Major Shapley would later return to the ARIZONA to spend the night aboard. At home early the next morning, I was informed by my neighbor, Cdr. McKillip, USN, that the Japanese were attacking Pearl Harbor. Looking in that direction from our lanai, we could see anti-aircraft bursts covering the area. Several TENNESSEE friends living nearby and I quickly caught a cab to the Naval Base.
When we got there, Pearl Harbor looked like a scene from the Inferno. The second attack wave was still in progress and the ARIZONA, already destroyed, was belching thick black smoke that was to continue for days. I caught a boat from Merry Point Landing to Ford Island, a scene of complete devastation, and in the bomb shelter adjacent to the ARIZONA I found Major Shapley and what was left of the Marine Detachment.
As I recall, they totalled 12 enlisted Marines from the original 85 and all had swum to Ford Island after the order to abandon ship. (Of course, I had not a chance to know them before, but I recall one of them was named Corporal Nightengale, whom I remembered because of his unusual name.) We hunkered down until the All Clear and then emerged, whereupon I led the remaining 12 enlisted Marines across a pipeline connection to the quay where the TENNESSEE, my ship of just the day before, was moored. (I believe that Major Shapley left Hawaii later that day on the NEOSHO as he had planned.)
We then boarded the TENNESSEE - one of my friends aboard said he thought he had seen a ghost when I appeared - and were informally incorporated into the activities of its Marine Detachment. A few weeks later, upon the TENNESSEE's departure for the Mainland and modernization, I was ordered to report along with the 12 survivors of the ARIZONA's detachment to the Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor, for duty. I was a survivor - and damned lucky to be alive!
- Marine Corps News
Fallen USS Arizona Marines honored at Pearl Harbor
Nov. 16, 2005; Submitted on: 11/16/2005 06:45:59 PM ; Story ID#: 20051116184559
By Lance Cpl. Ethan Hoaldridge, Marine Forces Pacific
U.S. MARINE CORPS FORCES, PACIFIC, CAMP H. M. SMITH, Hawaii (Nov. 16, 2005) -- The toll of a small brass bell resonates across the hallowed waters of Pearl Harbor. The snapping of colors whips though the wind.
The echo of a rifle volley touches the hearts of everyone who came together to pay their respects to the fallen USS Arizona Marines at the base of a newly erected 36-foot flagstaff and monument, Nov. 14.
Col. John H. Earle, USMC (Ret), Lt. Gen. John F Goodman, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, and Laura Brent unveiled the seven-sided base, which displays engraved bronze plaques bearing the names of all the Marines that died aboard the USS Arizona on Dec. 7, 1941.
Mounted to the base of the flagstaff are steel pieces from the Arizona’s original hull used as rebar in the concrete base. A piece of steam pipe from the superstructure is mounted on the base of the flagstaff, which stands in between the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and the USS Arizona Visitor’s Center.
Of the 15 survivors of the attack, there are only two still living.
Earle was a 26-year-old commanding officer of the Marine detachment aboard the Arizona. He had just assumed command and went home to be with his wife on Dec. 6, 1941. He awoke the next morning from echoes of Japanese bombs in Pearl Harbor.
He immediately rounded up the Marines attached to the USS Tennessee, his former command, and hopped in a taxi headed to Pearl Harbor to get in the fight.
“When I saw my wife a few days later, she could hardly recognize me, because of all the soot and ashes,” said Earle.
Now 90 years old, Earle reflected on his fallen comrades with respect.
“It’s a great feeling to honor my shipmates from long ago, and it’s long overdue,” said the Honolulu resident.
Earle, along with many other Marines, paused during the ceremony as the names of the fallen Marines aboard the Arizona were read, and a bell was rung in honor of each.
The Marines in attendance also remembered those who are giving their lives today while fighting in the War on Terrorism.
Special guest speaker, Gen. Michael W. Hagee, Commandant of the Marine Corps, made a connection with those that pay the ultimate price for our freedom and protection in his remarks.
“We use history to inspire and educate. The Marines that we’re honoring today do both,” said Gen. Hagee. “Marines even today don’t want to die, but are willing to.”
The general gave a simple explanation for this statement.
“It’s for the shipmate on their right and the shipmate on their left, and because they believe in something bigger than themselves,” he continued.
This has always been true throughout the history of the Corps.
“The Marines that we honor today truly set the standard that we try to uphold today,” said Hagee.
|
| Person ID |
I40767 |
L C Earle's Family |
| Last Modified |
9 Mar 2007 |
| Father |
John Horatio Earle, b. 06 Apr 1884, Chicago, Cook Co, Illinois , d. Jul 1967, Sarasota, Sarasota Co, Florida |
| Mother |
Henrietta, b. Abt 1883, New York |
| Married |
Abt 1912 |
- John Earle married the widow Henrietta Grimm.
|
| Family ID |
F157 |
Group Sheet |
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| Event Map |
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 | Born - 07 Jan 1915 - Reading, Berks Co, Pennsylvania |
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 | Died - 23 Jan 2007 - Honolulu, Honolulu Co, Hawaii |
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 | Obituary - 26 Jan 2007 - Honolulu Advertiser, Honolulu, Honolulu Co, Hawaii |
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 | Obituary - 26 Jan 2007 - Star Bulletin, Honolulu, Honolulu Co, Hawaii |
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 | Buried - 05 Feb 2007 - National Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Honolulu Co, Hawaii |
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| Pin Legend |
 : Address
 : Location
 : City/Town
 : County/Shire
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