Aging Well: World War II Pearl Harbor survivor wants to live so he can keep honoring war-dead
A centenarian says he sets goals to keep Aging Well. One of those goals is to keep living to see his next birthday
By Diane Ako
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HONOLULU (KITV) — A centenarian says he sets goals to keep Aging Well. One of those goals is to keep living to see his next birthday, and another is to be able to honor his deceased friends and service members who died in the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
Navy musician second class Ira “Ike” Schab served on the USS Dobbin, playing music in the band.
On December 7, 1941, Schab recalls where he was.
“The morning of the attack, we were just getting our horns out and taking precautionary steps. I was putting my stuff away. My toilet kit, shaving gear. Getting ready for the day,” Schab said.
Minutes later, they were attacked.
“Scary, real scary. You don’t know which way to turn, and if you turn that way, if it’s right or wrong, a total mess of uncertainties,” he said.
Schab lost many friends and shipmates. Now, 81 years later, he returned to Hawaii again on Friday, excited for this year’s National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Commemoration.
“Oh yes, you better believe it. I’m waiting to find out what kind of questions people have,” he chuckled.
“It’s not as much coming back for him. Because he feels it’s such a gift to be alive, he wants to be here for the guys who can’t be here,” Schab’s son, Karl, explained.
Schab is 102-years-old and quite sharp. He says his key to aging well is to be flexible.
“Take things as they happen. If they need categorization, you categorize them. If they don’t, you handle it as the condition suits,” he said, agreeing that “Go with the flow” is a pretty good summary of his attitude.
Karl says setting goals also gives him something to live for.
“The next one for him is going to be to turn 103 [years old]. When he turns 103, we’ll set a new one. But it’s always his goal,” Karl said, agreeing that within that is the ambition is to come back to the Pearl Harbor ceremony every year.
Schab’s birthday is on July 4 — fitting for a man who risked his life for his country; a country he loves and worries about now with all the political fighting.
“We have a country that is so worth our love and total devotion. It’s absolutely stupid to think our thoughts would be any place but our country,” he opined.
The 81st National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Commemoration takes place on Wednesday. Dec. 7. The event is open to the public and parking and seating are limited.
You can find more information at the following links: nps.gov/perl, facebook.com/PearlHarborNPS, and pearlharborevents.com.
The USS Utah, Main Dec. 7 Ceremony, and USS Oklahoma ceremonies will all be live-streamed (at the above links) and captioned for those interested in attending from the comfort of their own homes.
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