Toll from Pearl Harbor attack hit Western Upper Peninsula hard

Eighty years ago a sleepy Sunday morning in paradise turned into a day of infamy. The Japanese military attacked the base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, decimating most of our country’s naval fleet in the Pacific.

One of the sobering reminders of that day is the USS Arizona. A memorial and deck allows visitors to walk onto an overlook of the sunken ship, where over 900 men perished. At least three of those came from the Western Upper Peninsula. The ship now acts as a grave for all who were onboard

The dead from this region represented the United States Navy and US Marine Corps. They ranged in age from 18 to 26. Marine Sergeant Joseph Baraga hailed from Channing, MI in Dickinson County. He enlisted in 1939 and is believed to have joined the Arizona in April of that year. Navy Fireman Second Class Donald Clash called Iron Mountain his hometown. December 9th, 1941 would have been the one-year anniversary of his tenure on the Arizona.

Hailing from Bessemer in Gogebic County was Ensign First Class Francis Cychosz. He had enlisted only five months prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, days after he turned 18.

Pearl Harbor falls under the purview of the National Park Service. Eightieth anniversary remembrances began Sunday and will continue through Thursday. In addition to the Arizona, the USS Utah was also lost. In total, 2,403 service members and civilians were killed. Over 1,100 additional people were injured.