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LAS CRUCES - Few people are left who witnessed the tragic events that took place in a Hawaiian bay 69 years ago.
But 87-year-old Archie Luce of Las Cruces is one of those few.
Fresh out of naval basic training in Illinois, a 17-year-old Luce was assigned to the USS Utah, which made its way to Pearl Harbor in April 1941.
On Dec. 7 of the same year, Luce, a fireman third class, was in the barracks ashore when Japanese planes began a surprise bombing attack. He heard the first bomb drop and looked out the window in time to see a torpedo drop from a plane; it missed its target and instead slid into a mud bank.
For a few moments, Luce and a friend thought the attack was part of a training maneuver because exercises were ongoing at the base. But they soon found out that wasn't the case.
Luce recalls that he went into a bunker.
But his memories from the rest of that day?
"That's a blank," Luce said.
A group of veterans and other members of the public met Tuesday morning at Las Cruces Veterans Memorial Park on Roadrunner Parkway to raise the large garrison flag and lower it again to half-staff.
During the flag-raising event, Luce - dressed in a black sailor uniform - was given a special medal from the Las Cruces City Council. The council typically honors World War II veterans during city council meetings, but a special arrangement was made to grant Luce the medal on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, said James Turner, veteran services officer with the New Mexico
Turner said Luce seemed "keen to attend" Tuesday's presentation.
"He's still got a vibrant personality," he said. "It was a good thing they did for him."
As the war continued, Luce was eventually transferred to service on a freighter that hauled supplies to the Christmas Islands. Four torpedoes were fired at the vessel on its first trip, but missed. At the conclusion of his South Pacific tour, he met and married his late wife, Gladys Hemming, in New Zealand. The couple had four children; Hemming died in 1982.
Veterans advocate Dolores Archuleta, a former Las Cruces city councilor, said Luce hadn't been recognized up until now because officials weren't aware there was a Pearl Harbor survivor living in Las Cruces. Luce was discovered only recently.
Archuleta said recognizing Pearl Harbor veterans is important.
"It was a day of infamy, like the president said, and we must not ever forget," said Archuleta, who's on the Las Cruces Veterans Memorial Wall Committee. "They're not going to be with us much longer."
Las Crucen Naomi Hall, Luce's youngest daughter, said Luce has lived in the southwestern U.S. throughout his life. He resided in South Carolina prior to moving to Las Cruces about five years ago.
"He loves the Southwest," she said.
About 25 people gathered at sundown to lower the flag and fold it.
Turner said the garrison flag is raised to half-staff on three holidays each year, including Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. It will fly next on Christmas Day, he said.
Also present Tuesday was Juan Gomez Jr. of Do a Ana, 81, a native of the area, who served in World War II in the Navy. After his discharge, he re-enlisted in the Army.
Gomez Jr., now a bail bondsman, was one of 39 veterans who were flown to Washington D.C. in October to view the World War II memorial, part of the Honor Flight of Southern New Mexico effort. He called the trip "pleasant," but noted it was tough in some ways, too.
"It brings back a lot of memories that I don't want to come back, but they do," he said.
Diana M. Alba can be reached at (575) 541-5443.
On the Web
Pearl Harbor attack: www.pearlharbor.org
