Anderson's death leaves just seven known surviving Arizona crewmen -- all of whom are in their 90s. Of the roughly 1,500 crew members assigned to the Arizona, 1,177 were killed on Dec. 7, 1941.
"He was on top of everything until he passed away, he didn't miss a beat," his son told The St. Paul Pioneer Press on Monday.
Last year, Anderson was among four USS Arizona survivors who traveled to Pearl Harbor for an official survivor gathering of the USS Arizona Reunion Association.
Anderson enlisted in the Navy on March 16, 1937, and reported onboard the USS Arizona on Dec. 6, 1940, a year and one day before the Pearl Harbor attack, according to the USS Arizona Reunion Association.
Advertisement
On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Anderson, then 24, was setting up for church and preparing for breakfast when the explosions started. As the attack unfolded, he helped evacuate wounded sailors and was eventually forced to abandon ship by his commanding officer. He later returned to the vessel to search for his twin brother, Delbert, but he never found him.
"I was just doing my job," he told The Arizona Republic in September 2014. "I did what I had to do."
Anderson served in the Navy until 1976. After moving to Roswell, he became a country music disk jockey, known as "Cactus Jack," and later a television meteorologist and real estate agent.
Some of Anderson's ashes will reportedly be interred in the No. 4 turret on the USS Arizona. The bodies of some 900 men remain entombed in the ship's sunken hull.
Advertisement
During the attack on Pearl Harbor, which ultimately brought the U.S. into World War II, the Japanese destroyed nearly 20 American naval vessels and 200 airplanes. More than 2,000 Americans soldiers and sailors died.
The known surviving crew members are Louis Conter, Lonnie Cook, Raymond Haerry, Clare Hetrick, Ken Potts, Don Stratton and Lauren Bruner, who is now the oldest remaining survivor at 95 years old, according to the USS Arizona Reunion Association.
In the below video, Anderson describes in detail the events that unfolded in the infamous attack on the U.S.
Also on HuffPost:
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Advertisement
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.