Marco Garcia

Projects: Survivors

On the 69th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, I was granted permission to attend a ceremony for the last remaining survivors in Honolulu. As I photographed a select few and captured each man’s story, none, if any, could talk without choking back tears. Memories drifted back to 1941 as if it was just yesterday. Some covered their pain with jokes and laughter while others could show nothing more than tears.

What linked all the portraits together were their eyes. No matter brave face they put forth their eyes gave away their lingering trauma. A web of nightmares and regret. Veteran William Temple asked why he wasn’t killed along with his shipmates. Robert Welkner laughed that the deck he just finished swabbing got covered in blood.

The veterans wore their Pearl Harbor Survivor’s caps with dignity. They smiled and laughed when young men shook their hands thanking them for their service. Their chests puffed when uniformed soldiers proudly saluted them. They blushed when young girls kissed their wrinkly cheeks. They cried together as taps bugled in the distance. They met once more, remembering their friends who died then and now. They reminisced about yesterday, cringing as if those plane were still diving at them.

Through they wore crumpled suits, bore stubbly chins and rummy eyes, these once young boys fought and won the war against Japan. These men were the start and the end of World War II.

Ralph Lindenmeyer, who was stationed at Ford Island during the attack, was on his way to a day of surf and sun in Waikiki after attending Church. He saw the swarm of Japanese planes flying over the base towards Pearl Harbor.
   
The then 17-year-old Jack Evans had just finished his morning duties aboard the USS Tennessee when the sirens went off warning about the surprise Japanese attack. The only thing on Evan's mind that morning was which church service to attend.
  
When asked if he was a U.S. Marine, Mal Middlesworth replied, "I wasn't a Marine, I AM a Marine." Middlesworth was aboard the USS San Fransisco during the attack and was stationed at the fantail of the ship. With no fuel or ammunition aboard, the ship could not defend the harbor so Middlesworth was only able to observe the most significant battle of the 20th century. Throughout the Pacific campaign, Middlesworth claimed to have 17 battles scars from the 15 major battles he fought. He said he was the "first Marine that got shot in the back" storming a beach during the Pacific War.
     
  
William Temple was stationed at Wheeler Field during the Japanese surprise attack. As the Japanese planes bombed the airfield, Temple ran to get ammunition for the defensive machine guns firing at the incoming planes but grabbed the wrong caliber. As he ran back down the runway to get the right bullets, Japanese planes swooped down and shot at him, bullets and shrapnel flying all around him. Temple doesn't know why or how he survived as many of the men he served with died. His memories couldn't be hidden from his eyes.
  
Stationed at the Naval Hospital at Pearl Harbor, Richard Laubert was off for the day and found himself at the beach when the Japanese surprise attack took place. He remembers counting more than 200 Japanese attack planes that bombed the harbor.
   
"You got blood all over my deck!" Brooklynite Robert Welkner complained as bombs were dropping and killing men around him while aboard the USS Nevada. He spent the morning swabbing the deck before the Japanese surprise attack and was in the toilet when the attack began.
     
  
Earl Smith awoke to the sound of massive explosions shaking the USS Tennessee. As he clamored up the ladder to get to the deck, he slipped and chipped a tooth. Recalling the smell of burning oil and death after the attack, Smith told of his grim task of swimming through the still burning oil to rescue men who were floating among the debris. He pointed to the visible scars on his arms and torso where the oil scorched his skin. Smith tied ropes to the ankles of the dead so they could be hauled out of the water. He didn’t remember anyone being alive that he helped pull out of the water.
   
When asked about his experiences about Pearl Harbor, Ray Brittain's eyes glossed over, his mind left his body, and his voice cracked as he said he didn't want any more pictures. Mr. Brittain served aboard the USS Tennessee.
   
John Rauschkolb trembled as he saw the Japanese torpedoes whizzing their way towards the portside of the USS West Virginia. The ship shook violently as they slammed into the ship. The ship took a total of six Japanese torpedoes and was eventually sunk in the Harbor.
     
  
Michael "Mickey" Ganitch , serving aboard the USS Pennsylvania, recalled that he had the day off on December 7th. He was preparing for a day of football and was putting on his football pads and helmet to go out and play a game with friends. With no time to change back into his battle uniform, his football uniform served as the only protection he wore in defense of the Pennsylvania. During the photo shoot he showed he could still get in a football stance.