(TheLastPatriotNews.com) – America has lost a great military patriot with the death of Jessie A. Mahaffey at 102, which the end of an era as one of the final surviving veterans of the Pearl Harbor attack.
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Mahaffey, a symbol of fortitude, lived to share harrowing stories from the day that thrust America into World War II.
Born on November 23, 1922, in Florien, Louisiana, Mahaffey joined the Navy after completing high school in 1941.
On December 7 of the same year, he was preparing for an inspection aboard the USS Oklahoma when chaos ensued.
“It was a quiet Sunday, and we had the day off except for the yearly admiral inspection. Then we heard a siren, saw planes and smoke. It must have only gone on for 45 minutes, but it was crazy,” Jessie Mahaffey recalled, cited by Stripes.
During the Pearl Harbor attack, the USS Oklahoma was quickly hit by five torpedoes, causing it to capsize and sink, killing 429 crew members.
Jessie Mahaffey, along with other survivors, had to abandon ship by sliding off the bottom into the water.
“It turned upside down and we had to slide over the bottom of the ship into the water,” Mahaffey recounted.
With Mahaffey’s death, only two known survivors from the Oklahoma continue to live, a stark reminder of the dwindling number of World War II veterans who can provide firsthand accounts.
Mahaffey’s life was a testament to the endurance of those who experienced the sinking and survived to tell their stories.
After the Pearl Harbor attack, Mahaffey swam to the USS Maryland and later served on the USS Northampton, which was sunk during the Battle of Tassafaronga in 1942.
Once again, Mahaffey survived a ship sinking, spending a night on rafts before rescue.
“The ship was sunk at midnight, and we had to stay on rafts the whole night,” Mahaffey shared.
After his military service concluded in 1945, Jessie Mahaffey returned to civilian life in Louisiana, where he worked for Southwestern Bell for 30 years.
His life was marked by dedication to service and commitment to community.
Mahaffey was celebrated by his community when he turned 100 in 2022, marking his extraordinary journey through a century of life.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce, and is survived by two sons.
A funeral service for this American hero was held on March 8, 2025, at Warren Meadows Funeral Home in Many, Louisiana, continuing to honor his incredible life and legacy.
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