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Show Sailor Grandson of Mrs. Mary Drake Present During 'Pearl Harbor Attack' Forrest Hall, grandson of Mrs. Mary Drake of this city, and Seaman First Class on one of Uncle Sam's battle cruisers, visited vis-ited in Pioche last week with his father, Desmond Hall, while on a short furlough from duty. His father, who is district Legion Commander and other relatives were mighty happy to see Forrest again. He is one of the survivors of the treacherous Pearl Harbor attack and at that time was on watch aboard ship. Making such brief reports as he may, he stated that three of his companions opened fire with their anti-aircraft batteries without waiting for orders of superior officers, of-ficers, which is the Yankee reserve re-serve that perhaps thwarted greater disaster than might otherwise other-wise have been recorded. His ship was a bare forty yards from the Arizona, which was torpedoed, and they witnessed the frenzy of the Arizona's crew scrambling in the ignited oil covering the water into which they had jumped. Forrest brought good reports from his uncle, Keith Drake, who is on another of Uncle Sam's big ships somewhere in the Pacific. Keith was formerly on the cruiser Utah. While in Pioche, Forrest was admitted as first member veteran of World War II in that city's post of Veterans of Foreign Wars, at a special meeting held for the event February 14th in the Pioche court house. |