At 104, a respected Pearl Harbor veteran returns to Hawaii for a somber anniversary

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A respected war veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor is back in Hawaii.

104-year-old Ira ‘Ike’ Schab Jr. of Portland touched down in Honolulu Tuesday ahead of the 83rd commemoration the attack on Pearl Harbor. He’s one of the few remaining survivors of that day, and the only one left from the USS Dobbin.

His flight was met with a water cannon salute, and at the gate, sounds of the Navy’s U.S. Pacific Fleet Band filled the air.

“What do you remember from that day?” he was asked.

“Oh, being scared, more than anything else,” he replied. “Wondering about my brothers. Where they were.”

As a musician in the Navy band, Schab was starting a seemingly quiet day when the attack in 1941 began. He quickly sprung into action, feeding ammunition to the gunners.

All these years later, he’s back in the islands to commemorate the solemn anniversary, and the lives of those lost.

“I’m one of the very few left — and they deserve to be recognized and honored,” he added.

For many years, Ike’s family said he didn’t want to return to the islands because the memories of the attack were just too painful.

“It was an embarrassment for a long time,” Ike said about the attack. His son Karl Schab added, “In the time, it was kind of a shock the United States that we were attacked and so the embarrassment was real. And then when I was stationed here, I said, ‘Hey dad, come out and visit.’ He said, ‘No I really don’t have any desire to relive that.’”

However, several years ago during the 75th anniversary, he changed his mind after seeing how few survivors remained.

”He said, ‘As long as I’m able to make the trip, I want to make the trip for the people that can’t make the trip,’” Karl said.

He’s since returned to Pearl Harbor annually. Joining him from Portland this year are 14 of his family members and caregivers.

“It’s a real chicken-skin moment. It’s tearful, it’s so special and meaningful to be a part of that,” John Kim, president of Hawaiian Airlines’ Veterans Employee Network, said.

“It’s important for us as Americans to recognize service men and women like Ike because they helped to shape the foundation of our country and allows us to be free,” Kim added.

The cost to get him to the islands and ensure care is available around the clock is steep, and family members have set up a GoFundMe to help pay for various expenses. It has already raised more than $4,300.

As Ike reflects on the past, his service is celebrated, and the memory of his fellow sailors lives on.

“What do you want your legacy to be remembered by?” he was asked. “That I remembered them. This is a second home,” he said.

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.