Memphis sailor killed in Pearl Harbor attack identified

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - A Memphis sailor who was aboard the USS California during the attack on Pearl Harbor has been identified.

Fireman 3rd Class John Winter Martin was lost during the Dec. 7, 1941, attack. His remains have now been identified.

The USS California was struck by two torpedoes and a bomb during the attack. Roughly 100 sailors and Marines aboard the ship were lost. The battleship later sank but was raised, repaired and returned to duty.

Martin is among 11 service members recently identified. He will be reinterred Dec. 6, 2026, at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

Afterward, the Navy will end its effort to identify remains from the USS California and the USS West Virginia.

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