SAN DIEGO — Eighty-one years after the Japanese navy made a shock attack on the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, a raid killing over 2,000 US service members and civilians, one sailor is lastly being laid to relaxation on the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego.
Daniel Fletcher Harris was buried Wednesday in San Diego, granting relations closure simply over eight a long time later. He was Chief Fire Controlman on the USS Oklahoma, one of many first battleships hit that fateful day. Chief Harris died at 41-years-old.
“We’re so thankful for the United States Navy for finding his remains and how special it was, and being able to have the DNA. It was surreal, you get the news, your kind of didn’t believe it at first,” mentioned Shannon and Dianne Mcke, who’re each granddaughters to Chief Harris.
“The bittersweet moment is that he died for his country and his family has been living life without him. But the goodness of it is that he’s finally home and his family can now know that he is resting here locally in San Diego.”
ROBERT NOWAKOWSKI, VICE COMMANDER, NAVAL FORCES CENTRAL COMMAND
Harris is one out of 355 service members who’ve been recognized following the 2015 USS Oklahoma disinterment. Before the 2015 disinterment, 388 service members had been unaccounted for.
These identifications are made by scientists at Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) labs in Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, Hawaii and Offutt Air Force Base, Nebrask,. All work to establish past-conflict sailors, in accordance with Capt. Robert McMahon, Director of the Navy Casualty Office.
(*81*) are recognized utilizing DNA reference samples from USS Oklahoma households. DoD now has
greater than 361 of required samples to help DNA evaluation on Oklahoma stays in addition to
many medical and dental data from the Oklahoma service members, Capt. McMahon reported.
The DNA profiling course of begins with a pattern of a person’s DNA, sometimes referred to as a
“reference sample.” During Project Oklahoma, the Navy reached out to households by way of letters and telephone calls requesting their participation in the Family Reference Sample Program in efforts to probably make a optimistic match and establish their cherished one misplaced on the USS Oklahoma.
Although Chief Harris was born in South Carolina, he was as soon as based mostly at a San Diego Naval coaching station again in 1937 earlier than serving aboard the USS Oklahoma. It’s a metropolis holding a particular place in the hearts of relations, as each Hariss’ spouse and daughter are additionally buried in San Diego.
“My mother and grandmother are here in San Diego, laid to rest, it’s very special now that we’re here,” Mcke shared.
Wednesday’s ceremony marked a legacy handed alongside to future generations, one rooted in braveness, honor and dedication.
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