# Exhumation begins for unidentified remains from USS Oklahoma, DEC 7, 1941



## pardus (Jun 18, 2015)

As a rule I'm against disturbing the dead, but as these guys are already removed from the original site and are officially buried as unknown, I'm all for the identification and re-interment. 
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/...ns-for-unidentified-remains-from-uss-oklahoma
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/...ns-for-unidentified-remains-from-uss-oklahoma


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## AWP (Jun 18, 2015)

Interesting. I have to agree with you and am actually quite happy that forensics, science, archaeology, and history can come together and solve "mysteries" like these. To put things into perspective, I ran across a U-boat captain who is still alive. Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, 102 years old. That made me dig a bit.

One VC, seven Medals of Honor, and 70 Knight's Cross in various forms...the youngest of this group is 88. That generation is clocking in around a century old, which begs the question: how much longer before the relatives of that generation expire and DNA results aren't possible?

Maybe this is the voice of the living, but I think nations have the responsibility to ID them when possible. Some (yes, we're looking at you, Japan) don't seem to care, but I see it as an extension of bringing everyone home and keeping their sacrifices extant. Crash sites in Europe are still turning up and just last month the remains of two presumed Australians from WW I were discovered in France.

I think it is the least we can do for the living and the dead.


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## x SF med (Jun 18, 2015)

I have a Great Uncle who was lost on the Oklahoma, who was from Oklahoma.  It would be nice for my Mom's family to have that closure.


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## RetPara (Jun 18, 2015)

I think it was the Oklahoma that not all survivors were rescued.   The sound of metal on metal banging could be heard for weeks after the attack by repair crews going to work on other war ships.  It was a command decision not to divert resources need for repair to rescue.   

The Japanese have tried to ID and return some of their dead.  Often though Japanese dead were loaded on barges and dumped at sea.


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## The Accountant (Jun 18, 2015)

RetPara said:


> I think it was the Oklahoma that not all survivors were rescued.   The sound of metal on metal banging could be heard for weeks after the attack by repair crews going to work on other war ships.  It was a command decision not to divert resources need for repair to rescue.
> 
> The Japanese have tried to ID and return some of their dead.  Often though Japanese dead were loaded on barges and dumped at sea.



I believe I remember reading/learning that several dozen men were later rescued from the hull. The rest couldn't of been saved due to how much the boat sank and location on the ship they were in. Not 100% sure on this though.


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## The Accountant (Jun 18, 2015)

I'm in the same thought that if we have the capabilities of ID'ing these men, we owe it to them and their families.


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