WASHINGTON CITY — Last year on Dec. 7, Washington City Mayor Kress Staheli and city councilman Kurt Ivie gave speeches during the city’s first Pearl Harbor and USS Utah Remembrance Day, to be held annually on the day the United States was attacked in Hawaii during World War II.
They told the crowd in attendance they were taking the resolution to the state Legislature, hoping state leaders wanted to share in the day of recollection too.
Last week, HCR 1, a concurrent resolution sponsored by Rep. Joseph Elison and Sen. Evan Vickers, was signed by Gov. Spencer Cox. The resolution encourages all communities in Utah to remember the officers and servicemen who died Dec. 7, 1941.
“Every Utahn should learn about the heroism and sacrifices of those aboard the USS Utah when it was bombed in Pearl Harbor during World War II,” Cox emailed St. George News. “This concurrent resolution will ensure that all Utahns honor ‘The Forgotten Ship of Pearl Harbor’ and remember the 58 lives lost on the U.S.S. Utah with gratitude.”
As previously reported by St. George News, the idea for a state resolution started last year in August, when Washington City civic leaders declared a similar city-wide day of remembrance.
Washington City veteran and resident John Olsen discovered a relic from the USS Utah and city leaders started planning the process of memory revival for the ship.
“When a soldier falls, their dreams become a debt to the rest of us,” Olsen said at the Washington City event on Dec. 7. “And we have to live our lives, not only for our dreams but for their dreams.”
Ivie said while attending this year’s legislative session, there was much positive talk on the floor from both state representatives and senators regarding the resolution for a statewide day of remembrance for Pearl Harbor — USS Utah Day of Recollection.
“They shared personal stories of their grandpas and great-grandpas that served in World War II,” he said. “Those are the types of connections that are really a benefit to anyone that wants to reach out and try to support our veterans. That’s the special connection that you can find.”
Two explosives hit the dreadnought bearing Utah’s namesake, killing 52 servicemen and six Navy officers. By 8:12 a.m. the dreadnought ship was listing onto its side.
Still inside the ship are the ashes of Nancy Wagner. Her father, Chief Yeoman Albert Wagner, survived the attack. He was awaiting the appointment of a chaplain to the ship after her death at just 2 days old and never got the chance to spread her ashes at sea.
Miraculously, 461 stationed on the ship survived the attack. Washington County Veterans Coalition Chairman David Cordero said that if it weren’t for the efforts of Chief Watertender Peter Tomich, the death toll could have been greater.
“As his ship was capsizing and his shipmates were fighting for survival, Tomich went to work,” he said in Washington City. “Disregarding his own safety, he remained at his post in the engineering plant until all the boilers were secured and all fireroom personnel had left their battle stations.”
Ivie said only one survivor from the USS Utah remains alive today.
According to HCR 1, “the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor, concurring therein, declare December 7 ‘Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in the state of Utah,’” the resolution states. “That the celebration of Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day begins at 8:01 a.m. local time, to commemorate the time the first torpedo hit the U.S.S. Utah.
The Legislature of the state of Utah and the Governor encourages every town, city, and county in the state of Utah to follow suit with similar resolutions. Be it further resolved that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor, concurring therein, encourages Utahns and Americans to honor and pay tribute to the fallen sailors by visiting the U.S.S. Utah Memorial in Honolulu, Hawaii — HCR 1 Concurrent Resolution Recognizing the U.S.S. Utah signed by Gov. Spencer Cox, Feb. 28, 2024
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