Lou Conter, the last survivor of the Japanese bombing of the USS Arizona battleship in Pearl Harbor, passed away at the age of 102 at his home in Grass Valley, California. Conter served in the US Navy for nearly three decades and was one of 335 Naval officers who survived the attack on the Arizona on December 7, 1941. The surprise bombing killed 1,177 sailors and marines aboard the ship, leading to the US entering World War II.
Having enlisted at 18, Conter was a quartermaster aboard the Arizona and witnessed the attack as Japanese planes dropped bombs on the US port in Hawaii. He recounted the harrowing experience multiple times throughout his life, wrote an autobiography detailing his war service, and provided oral history interviews about the Pearl Harbor attack. Despite the chaos and destruction he witnessed, Conter remained dedicated to assisting his fellow servicemen during and after the attack.
After the Arizona sank with the bodies of more than 900 sailors still inside, Conter continued to serve in the Navy, eventually becoming part of the “Black Cats” squadron that carried out nighttime dive bombing missions. He survived another devastating attack when his crew was shot down near New Guinea in 1943. Conter’s survival instincts and determination to stay calm under pressure helped him survive this and other challenging situations.
Following his retirement from the Navy in 1967, Conter became the first-ever SERE officer, responsible for training Navymen on how to survive various wartime scenarios. He was an active participant in Pearl Harbor remembrance ceremonies held by the Navy and dedicated himself to honoring the true heroes – the servicemen who lost their lives in the attack. Conter’s belief in the importance of staying calm and focused in emergencies influenced his training methods and personal actions throughout his life.
In his final weeks, Conter was in hospice care after a hospital stay earlier in the year. He passed away surrounded by his children and other family members, joining his late wife Valerie in peace. Conter’s legacy of resilience, survival, and dedication to his fellow servicemen lives on through his family and the memories of his bravery during World War II. With his passing, only 19 survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack remain alive, according to the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors organization.
