A sailor’s return from Pearl Harbor ends generations of grief

On December 7, 1941, the United States was thrust into World War II when the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Known forever as “The Day of Infamy,” the attack damaged or destroyed 19 naval vessels and claimed over 2,400 American lives. Among those who perished aboard the capsized USS Oklahoma was Fireman First Class Everett Titterington, a native of Milford, Iowa. For decades, his family waited as efforts were made to identify the fallen heroes. Thanks to the Department of Defense’s exhaustive identification process, Everett Titterington was one of the final Pearl Harbor casualties to be returned home to his family, bringing closure to a long and painful chapter in their history.