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Pearl Harbor survivor shares his story

by Colby Robertson

FIFIELD (WAOW) -- It was 68 years ago today, that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. There are very few survivors still living, but one Fifield man is sharing his remarkable story from 1941.

John Weindorfer's memories from Pearl Harbor are still fresh in his mind.

Weindorfer says, "I'd seen some of the guys jump off the ships into the burning water. They'd swim a little ways, come up, use their hands, move the fire away and go back under water, but a lot of them wouldn't come back up the third time." The 85 year old is one of few survivors still alive.

Weindorfer says, "There was 60,000 of us. Now there's less than 3,000 now in the United States."

Weindorfer was just 17 years old when the Japanese attacked. Now he tells of his experience in a book he's writing with the help of Price County Veterans Service Officer Ted Harvey.

Harvey says, "We can't let them pass on without having their stories recounted. We should know our history and know about these people and we should know what they've done for us."

Weindorfer recounts everything from that morning in his book even after almost seven decades the memories are clear. Weindorfer says, "Just cleaning up the mess hall and we was almost done when we heard all of these airplanes and run to the window and you look out and see these airplanes dropping bombs on the California and Utah and all the ships."

He's sharing his story to make sure the veterans of Pearl Harbor are never forgotten. Weindorfer says, "The worst thing about a Veteran is not being wounded, it's being forgotten and as we know Pearl Harbor is becoming a thing of the past."

Weindorfer is about halfway through writing his book titled Pearl Harbor and Beyond. In it he talks about surviving not only Pearl Harbor but three plane crashes and more than 40 years of service. He hopes to have the book done by next year.

Online Reporter: Colby Robertson