USS Oklahoma: Previous Unknown identified as St. Mary's Man

[Editor]

The Washington Post reports that: "After 75 years, remains of five dead Pearl Harbor sailors are identified."

One of the men was from St. Mary's County.

The men identified were Chief Petty Officer Albert E. Hayden, 44, of Mechanicsville, Md., in St. Mary’s County

Hayden was a World War I veteran. He had been in the Navy since 1917 and had served on the battleship USS Texas in the North Sea, according to a 1942 newspaper account.

FULL STORY: https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...131000-b875-11e5-99f3-184bc379b12d_story.html

The Navy originally opposed any exhumations:

Navy opposes USS Oklahoma exhumations to identify remains

http://www.stripes.com/news/navy-opposes-uss-oklahoma-exhumations-to-identify-remains-1.287971#

 

[stew77]

Rest In Peace, shipmate!

 

[Editor]

Sorry, I forgot to post the link back to the WashPo story.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...131000-b875-11e5-99f3-184bc379b12d_story.html

 

[David]

Burial set for May 18 in Morganza

Here's an update on this story. A burial is scheduled for May 18 in Morganza.

Read more in the Baltimore Sun:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-pearl-harbor-sailor-20160511-story.html

 

[Larry Gude]

How cool! The guy was born in, what, 1897 and think of all he did and saw in his life! Imagine how sleepy Mechanicsville was when he was a boy.

Thinking about Pearl and her dead I always tend to think of young kids who don't know ####, haven't seen ####, hopes to get out and see the world some, or, this guy as a kid.

Wonder if he had kids?

 

[RoseRed]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/05/1...l-harbor-attack-identified.html?intcmp=hplnws

 

[acommondisaster]

Shoot. Next Wednesday is a work day for me or I'd attend. Our backyard on Oahu backed up to Ford Island at about the spot where the Utah was hit and remains a war graveyard. I agree with the Navy that it's time to stop exhuming these guys over and over for identification. More than likely, the families have come to terms and accepted that their loved ones are buried with their shipmates. I know I'd be disturbed if it were my father or grandfather being dug up again and again.

 

[David]

The funeral for World War II Veteran, Albert Eugene Hayden was today around noon at Mattingly-Gardiner in Leonardtown. The burial was at St. Joseph's in Morganza.

St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office deputies had the privilege to be honorary pallbearers and serve as escorts.

Photos: St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office

 

[David]

County Times coverage of funeral

Here's the County Times story on today's funeral...

 

[littlelady]

Here's the County Times story on today's funeral...

This thread is wonderful, very moving, and hurts the heart. Thanks somd for making sure this story was seen. I would have missed it if I didn't participate here.