Oldest Known Pearl Harbor Survivor from Kentucky Passed Away at 106

Early Life and Pearl Harbor

Vaughn P. Drake, Jr., a lifelong resident of central Kentucky, passed away last week at the age of 106. He was the oldest known survivor from Kentucky of the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. At the time of the attack, Drake was a 23-year-old soldier serving in the United States Army, stationed at Kaneohe Naval Air Station on the east side of Oahu, Hawaii.

His role was to help operate a temporary power plant that provided electricity to construction crews building new barracks. On that Sunday morning, Drake and his fellow soldiers were getting ready for breakfast when they heard the loud sound of planes overhead. At first, they assumed it was a routine military drill. The sight of planes flying low and fast didn’t immediately alarm them, and some even remarked that it looked like an impressive practice run.

Realization of an Attack

That changed quickly when an officer arrived and told them the island was under attack. Soon after, a bomb struck one of their buildings. Drake later described the moment they realized the seriousness of the situation. It became clear this was no exercise. It was a real attack that marked the United States’ entry into World War II. The experience left a lasting impression on Drake, who remembered the chaos and confusion of that morning many decades later.

After Pearl Harbor, Drake continued to serve in the Pacific with the Army Corps of Engineers. He was involved in the Marianas campaign, including work on the island of Saipan. His service focused on engineering tasks essential to military operations, such as building and maintaining infrastructure under war conditions.

Postwar Career and Family Life

When the war ended, Drake returned to Kentucky and settled back into civilian life. He married Lina Wilson and worked as an engineer with General Telephone of Kentucky until his retirement. The couple had a son, Sam W. Drake, and their family grew to include two grandsons and three great-grandchildren. Drake and his wife were married for 65 years before her passing in December 2011.

Drake remained active in both his professional field and veterans’ organizations long after the war. He was involved with the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers. He also served as a past president and charter member of the Bluegrass Chapter of the Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers. In 1979, he received the KSPE State Award for Outstanding Engineer in Industry.

Honors and Legacy

Throughout his life, Drake was recognized for both his professional achievements and his military service. He was a member of the Society of American Military Engineers and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was also honored as a Kentucky Colonel and received the Mayor’s Spirit of Lexington Award. He remained connected to his college roots as a life member of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association.

Drake was also a life member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, preserving the memory of those who experienced the events of December 7 firsthand. His long life spanned a century of change, and his passing marks the end of a direct link to a key moment in American history.