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Harry Chandler, a Navy medic celebrated for his courageous actions during the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, has passed away at the age of 103.
He died on Monday at a senior living facility in Tequesta, Florida. Ron Mahaffee, the husband of his granddaughter Kelli Fahey, reported that Chandler had been suffering from congestive heart failure, although his advanced age was also noted as a contributing factor to his death.
Chandler was the third Pearl Harbor survivor to die in recent weeks. On December 7, 1941, he was serving as a hospital corpsman 3rd class when Japanese fighter planes launched a devastating assault on the naval base, a critical event that propelled the United States into World War II.
In a 2023 interview, Chandler recalled witnessing the planes approach while he was raising the flag at a mobile hospital in Aiea Heights. Initially believing the aircraft to be American, he quickly recognized the threat as bombs began to drop.
His first instinct was to seek shelter, fearing that the planes would start strafing the area. However, amidst the chaos, Chandler and his unit acted quickly, using trucks to help the injured. He later recounted boarding a boat to rescue wounded sailors from the oil-covered waters of the harbor.
