After more than 80 years, the relentless march of time has yielded a poignant truth.
According to Daily Mail, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has identified the remains of David Walker, a black sailor lost in the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, marking a significant moment in military history.
David Walker's journey began far from the battlegrounds of World War II in Norfolk, Virginia. At 19, he made the life-altering decision to leave high school and join the Navy, a move that would eventually place him aboard the USS California during one of the most infamous days in American history. The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, led to the sinking of the USS California after being struck by two torpedoes. Walker was among the more than 50 African American crew members serving as mess attendants, cooks, and stewards who perished, part of the 103 casualties from the ship.
Identification of Lost Soldier
The identification announcement in November 2023 by the DPAA brought closure to a chapter left open for far too long. Cheryle Stone, David Walker's closest surviving relative and cousin, expressed a profound sense of loss that Walker's mother, Edna Lee Ward, never witnessed the resolution of her son's fate. Ward passed away in 1951 after actively searching for any news of her son since the attack.
Following the attack, the initial recovery efforts between December 1941 and April 1942 accounted for several casualties, but many, including Walker, remained unidentified. It wasn't until 2018 that the DPAA exhumed the remains of 25 unknown sailors from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific for further analysis. Through meticulous anthropological, dental, and mitochondrial DNA analysis, they achieved the breakthrough of identifying Walker's remains.
A poignant feature of this identification is the planned placement of a rosette next to Walker's name on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl in Hawaii. This symbolizes the shift from missing to identified, a gesture carrying volumes of respect and honor. Moreover, David Walker is scheduled for burial at Arlington National Cemetery on September 5, 2024, offering a dignified final resting place for a hero long absent from home.
Background Of The Deceased Soldier
Walker's early life was marked by challenges, growing up in segregated Norfolk and losing his father at a young age. Despite these obstacles, he pursued an opportunity in the Navy, albeit in a restricted capacity due to racial segregation. African Americans in the Navy were limited to serving as mess attendants, a role that, while considered the lowest rank, was crucial to the functioning of the ship.
Matthew F. Delmont, an expert on the subject, highlighted the stark realities of racial segregation in the Navy and how African American servicemen like Walker endured racism and discrimination daily. Yet, despite their marginalized roles, these men were integral parts of their communities, deeply mourned when lost.
Delmont's words bring into focus the broader implications of Walker's identification: "Mess attendants were the lowest rank on the ship. They did the cooking and cleaning, essentially at the service of white officers... It was the only role, at least initially at the start of World War II, that Black men could take… in the Navy. They were mourned by their communities, in the same way that white Americans mourned those who were lost at Pearl Harbor. David Walker and most of the Black men… from Southern states attended segregated high schools. They were in segregated communities. And then they entered into a segregated military, where they encountered racism and discrimination pretty much every day of their lives."
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was a catalyst for change in many ways, leading to the loss of 2,403 U.S. personnel, including 68 civilians, and causing unprecedented damage to the U.S. naval fleet. The recognition and identification of those who gave their lives, like David Walker, serve as a reminder of the personal stories behind the statistics, and the individual sacrifices made for their country.
Conclusion
The identification of David Walker's remains over 80 years after his death in the attack on Pearl Harbor closes a longstanding chapter of uncertainty for his family and honors his service and sacrifice.
It also reflects on the broader context of racial segregation in the military and society, reminding us of the complex history and personal stories of African Americans in the armed forces.
As Walker is slated for burial at Arlington National Cemetery, his story, from segregation in Norfolk to his final role aboard the USS California, embodies the ultimate sacrifice for his country, a narrative of courage, perseverance, and eventual recognition.
