Usually the action at Ray Chavez’s gymnasium is all business. But on Tuesday, there were cookies, balloons and a birthday song at the conclusion of his half-hour workout.
This week, America’s oldest surviving Pearl Harbor veteran turns 104, and Tuesday’s gym visit was a mere warmup for the Poway man’s big day on Thursday.
Today, there are fewer than 2,000 American survivors of the Japanese attack on the Pearl Harbor base in Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941. More than 2,400 Americans were killed during the early-morning blitz, which thrust the U.S. into World War II.
Last December, just seven veterans — including Chavez — were healthy enough to attend the 74th annual services aboard the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. The next eldest was Colorado resident James Downing, now 102. Until last summer, various sources credited Downing as the oldest Pearl Harbor vet. But when he read a story online about Chavez, he happily surrendered the title and flew to San Diego to meet Chavez in July.
Both men hope to attend the 75th annual services next winter, where veterans groups are hoping to attract as many as 200 survivors on what will surely be, for most, their last opportunity to visit.
Chavez said he loves traveling back to Hawaii to see his old friends and to honor those who died, but he didn’t always feel that way. For more than four decades, he couldn’t face going back to relive the memories of that fateful day. But when the 50th anniversary arrived in 1991, he decided it was finally time to return.
“The first time I went back, I cried,” he said. “It made me feel a little sad because I remember we were in the harbor pulling up all the dead bodies from the oil and taking the men who were alive to the hospital. It was a terrible memory.”
These days, Chavez is a San Diego County celebrity. At least once or twice a month he’s invited to attend veterans events, do interviews with high school students, speak to community groups or serve as grand marshal in a parade. Last August, he was invited by the San Diego Padres to throw out the first pitch on Armed Forces Day.
To prepare for his big baseball toss, Chavez practiced tossing balls for six weeks with his fitness trainer Sean Thompson at Personally Fit Gym in Rancho Bernardo. He’s been coming to the gym twice a week for the past three years and his daughter and caretaker, Kathleen Chavez, credits the gym with her father’s longevity.
Chavez agrees that the gym has made him much stronger and improved his balance and coordination. But he also credits a healthy lifestyle: No alcohol, no smoking, very little red meat, daily walking and good sleeping habits.
Chavez was born in San Bernardino in 1911 and grew up in San Diego, where his large family ran a wholesale flower business. In his early 20s, he married and had a daughter. Then, at 27, he joined the Navy and was assigned to the minesweeper USS Condor at Pearl Harbor.
At 3:45 a.m. Dec. 7, 1941, Seaman 1st Class Chavez’s crew was sweeping the east entrance to the harbor when they spotted the periscope of a Japanese midget submarine. After depth charges were dropped to sink the sub in 1,500 feet of water, the rest of the morning passed uneventfully. He was asleep at home in nearby Ewa Beach when the Japanese bombing raid began at 8:10 a.m.
“My wife ran in and said, ‘We’re being attacked’ and I said, ‘Who’s going to attack us? Nobody.’ She said that the whole harbor was on fire and when I got outside I saw that everything was black from all the burning oil.”
Chavez said he threw on his work clothes and was running the quarter-mile back to the base when a friend in a passing car picked him up and sped them both to the harbor. He spent the next nine days on continuous duty and didn’t know for 10 days whether his wife and daughter had survived the attack.
Over the next four years he rose to the rank of chief, serving on transport ships that delivered tanks and Marines to shore in eight Pacific battles. Although he wasn’t injured during the war, he retired from the Navy in 1945 with psychological wounds from the terrible things he saw.
Kathleen Chavez said it took three months after her father retired from the Navy before his body stopped shaking from the stress of war. In the 1950s, he and his wife, Margaret, suffered another unimaginable blow when their daughter, son-in-law and 18-month-old granddaughter were killed in a car accident. To mend their broken hearts, the Chavezes adopted 5-year-old Kathleen from a San Diego orphanage in 1957.
Kathleen, who has lived with her father since Margaret died in the mid-1980s, said her father worked for 30 years as a groundskeeper at UCSD, then ran his own landscaping and groundskeeping business in the Poway area until he finally retired at age 96.
Kathleen is now his driver and constant companion. She takes him to his many public appearances and interviews, including an upcoming guest appearance at the Coronado Chamber of Commerce’s “Salute to the Military” ball on April 16. If he’s in good health, she will also be by his side when they fly, first class, to Hawaii in December for the 75th anniversary.
“It’s so expensive but it’s what we need to do,” she said. “I’m so proud of him and it’s important that he be there.”
Staff Sgt. Kevin J. McEnroe, 30, a native of Tucson, Arizona, has been identified as one of the three U.S. service members killed in Jordan on November 4 were Special Forces soldiers from 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) located at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Also killed were Staff Sgt. Matthew C. Lewellen, 27, and Staff Sgt. James F. Moriarty, 27.
The Green Berets reportedly came under fire as they were entering a Jordanian military base. The incident is under investigation.
Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe had more than eight years of service in the Army. This was his third overseas tour. His awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (numeral 2), and Army Service Ribbon.
Lewellen, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, had more than six years of service in the Army. This was his second overseas tour. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (numeral 2), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and NATO Medal.
Moriarty, a native of Kerrville, Texas, had more than five years of service to the Army. This was his second overseas tour. His awards include the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (numeral 2), and Army Service Ribbon.
IT IS THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND YOUR FAVORITE FIREARM THAT WILL SAVE YOU FROM A ROGUE GOVERNMENT... RULED BY OBAMA-CLINTON.
IF YOU KNOW THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE SCARECROW...
... YOU KNOW YOUR GUN RIGHTS AND THE SECOND AMENDMENT ARE TOAST.
SO, YOU SAY, " I GOT MY GUNS SO LET THEM COME TAKE THEM AWAY!"
THE WITCH WOULD OUTLAW THE USE AND POSSESSION OF YOUR GUNS. IT WOULD BE A CRIME TO HAVE IN YOUR CUSTODY. THEY WOULD NOT COME TO YOUR FRONT DOOR, THEY WOULD CHARGE YOU WITH A FELONY AND YOU WOULD LOSE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE.
THE GOAL IS MET AND LIBERALISM-SOCIALISM WOULD LIVE ON... FOREVER IN THE USA.
IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, YOU WOULD BE BARRED FROM THESE BOOTHS. ON NOVEMBER 8TH, 2016, THE VOTE SAVED THE FIREARM AND YOUR RIGHTS.
Triple world champion Greg Hancock insists he’d love to win his fourth FIM Speedway World Championship on the track and not in the pits at the QBE Insurance Australian SGP on Saturday night.
Grin is just a race win away from being crowned world champion and that could come in race four at the Etihad Stadium.
Should Tai Woffinden finish last in heat one and Bartosz Zmarzlik fail to win race three, Hancock could seal the trophy without turning a wheel.
"I’m here to win it on the track. I’m here to win this meeting. I want to be in the semi-finals and the final, and I want to be on the podium."
- Greg Hancock
But there’s only one place the American icon wants to get the job done, and that’s on the Melbourne track where he romped to a 21-point maximum last October. And he doesn’t want to stop there.
He said: “You know me. I’m here to win it on the track. I’m here to win this meeting. I want to be in the semi-finals and the final, and I want to be on the podium. Points are prizes and prize money to go with it.
“Everyone has a different way of looking at things, but I’m just trying to focus on winning the meeting. Of course I want to win the world title, though – that’s for sure.”
Hancock appeared live on The Today Show this morning to talk about the QBE Insurance Australian SGP in front of a national audience. The 46-year-old is making plenty of fans Down Under and is relishing the spotlight that comes with his big weekend.
He said: “I love it. I’m a foreigner living in everyone else’s world. I’m trying to fit in and I don’t get the chance to do this kind of thing in my homeland.
“Every chance I get here, I take advantage of it. Australia is always cool. The fans always give me that extra welcome.
“You could see there was quite a good turnout for practice. This is cool. They want to see all the guys here. I’m sure there will be at least as good a crowd as there was last year – I really hope so.”
Hancock was pleased with this year’s circuit after taking a practice spin at Etihad Stadium this afternoon. He said: “The track is fast and it’s such an awesome shape. It’s wide and it has all the good aspects of a great race track.
“If anything, it feels like it’s a little bit faster than last year. They have managed to get a little more moisture in it. It feels like there’s more drive than there was last year. But we haven’t ridden much for three weeks, so it probably would feel that way.”
DID A ONE DAY RIDE, OUT-AND-IN TO ALLENTOWN, PA, TO SEE THE ARAIAMERICAS HELMET FOLKS.
THE RIDE UP WAS LONGER THAN EXPECTED. IT WAS AN ENDURANCE RUN JUST GETTING OUT OF MARYLAND WITH LOTS OF CONSTRUCTION AND 20 MPH TRAFFIC AROUND THE BALTIMORE BELTWAY. IT TRULY SUCKED. AFTER THAT CRUISING THROUGH PENNSYLVANIA WAS ALRIGHT WITH SOME GOOD WIDE OPEN SPACES AND RURAL SCENERY. THE FORT INDIANTOWN GAP IS AMAZING IN FALL COLORS, I WENT THROUGH A COUPLE OF WEEKS EARLY AND WILL MISS IT.
THE TIME SPENT WITH THE ARAI TECHS WAS GREAT. THEY ARE DISTRIBUTORS, NOT RETAIL SELLERS AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THEIR ATTENTION AND PATIENCE. THE LAST HELMET I PURCHASED JUST NEVER SEEMED TO FIT RIGHT. IT IS NOW APPARENT I WEAR A LONG-OVAL SHELL DESIGN... JUST WHAT MY PRESENT HELMET ISN'T. THEY REPLACED SEVERAL PARTS, GAVE ME A T-SHIRT AND HAT AND SENT ME AWAY HAPPY. THEY WERE BUSY PREPPING FOR A SHOW TRIP TO FLORIDA.
I ROLLED DOWN TO NEW HOLLAND TO VISIT THE SERVICE PAVILION AND POSSIBLY PICK-UP A NEW HELMET. I RODE A TWO LANER THROUGH THE VAST FARMLANDS AND SMALL TOWNS OF LANCASTER COUNTY. IF YOU GREW-UP AROUND FERTILIZER, YOU WOULD'VE LIKED THE RIDE.
FINALLY GOT TO THE SERVICE PAVILION. ROBERT AND BRIANNA WERE THERE AND GAVE ME THE ONCE OVER FOR FITMENT AND THE DO'S AND DONT'S OF CORRECT SIZING AND HELMET CARE. THE NEW SIGNET X MODELS ARE ON THE MARKET, BUT NOT AVAILABLE IN ANY QUANTITY TO FIND ONE TO BUY. THEY HAD THE PREDECESSOR TO THE X MODEL, THE SIGNET Q. THEY HAD ONLY ONE IN MY SIZE, SO I TRIED IT ON.
THE HELMET FIT QUITE WELL AND LOOKED OK FOR AN OFF THE SHELF SALE, NOT HOW I NORMALLY PICK A HELMET. ROBERT GAVE ME A GOOD $$ DISCOUNT. WE ADDED THE PRO CRUISE VISOR TO THE PIN LOCK SHIELD. THEY SHIPPED MY OLD HELMET HOME FOR FREE AND I WORE THE SIGNET OUT THE DOOR. IT WAS A GOOD RIDE HOME AND I'M A SATISFIED CUSTOMER. ROBERT KNOWS HIS SHIT AND HE TAUGHT ME THINGS ABOUT MY ARAI HELMETS I HAVE NEVER KNOWN.
THE NEW HELMET PAINT MATCHES BOTH BIKES AND THE DESIGN HAS KIND OF GROWN ON ME. THE PAINT IS BETTER IN PERSON THAN IN A PICTURE.
THE SERVICE PAVILION FOLKS CAN BE FOUND AT SHOWS AND RACES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THEIR FOOT TRAFFIC AT THEIR SHOP IS LIGHT IN RELATION TO THEIR SHOW EXPOSURE. THE KNOWLEDGE AND SERVICE WAS GREAT. LOOK-UP THEIR WEB SITE AND GIVE THEM A CALL!
I'M READY TO RIDE INTO THE COLDER MONTHS, I MISSED MOST OF THE SUMMER TIME HERE... OUT OF TOWN! SPENT SOME TIME AT EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE... WITHOUT A MOTORCYCLE.
HOW WAS THE SIGNET Q FOR RIDING? MUCH MORE QUIET, NO BUFFETING, GOOD VISION AND VERY COMFORTABLE. I GUESS THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BUY A HELMET FIT FOR YOUR HEAD!
SO... I AM GIVING UP MY JASON DISALVO REPLICA, WHICH HAS A GREAT PAINT JOB. (INTERNET WEB SITES WHICH PICTURE HELMETS, JUST DON'T DO THEIR PAINT JOBS MUCH CREDIT.) WE PUT A NEW HEADLINER IN MY OLD HELMET, IT IS NOT GONE FOR GOOD, PROBABLY GOT A COUPLE OF RIDES LEFT IN IT.
SPECTATORS WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO SEE A 1970 HONDA CB750 DIRECTLY FROM THE BARBER MOTORSPORTS MUSEUM. THIS RARE MACHINE IS A FOUR-CYLINDER, FOUR-STROKE WITH AN AIR-COOLED 750CC ENGINE. RACER RICK HOCKING SPORTED THE NO. 31Z AND WAS ONE OF THE FEW TO RIDE THIS "WHITE LIGHTNING" CHASSIS IN AN AMA SANCTIONED GRAND NATIONAL.
I MET RICK HOCKING WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG GUY. HE CAME TO OUR LOCAL SCRAMBLES TRACK AND BLEW OUR DOORS OFF! HIS CLUTCH CABLE BROKE, HE ASKED IF I HAD A SPARE, HANDED OVER A BRAND NEW CABLE... ALWAYS PREPARED. AFTER HE CRUSHED THE RACE, HE BROUGHT IT BACK. I TOLD HIM TO KEEP IT AND THE LOOK ON HIS FACE WAS THE BEST PART OF THE NIGHT.
I HAD BEEN DRAFTED AND WAS LOSING THE SPARK FOR ALL THINGS IN MY LIFE AND WANTED TO GET THE FUTURE ROLLING. I STRAYED AWAY FROM THE RACING, NEVER FORGOT THAT NIGHT. RICK HOCKING COULD RIDE!
THE 2017 SEASON WILL FIND THREE NAMES ON THE INDIAN TEAM... A REAL SHOCKER!
2017 Indian Flat Track Race Team: The New Wrecking Crew
Indian Motorcycle has announced its team roster for next year’s American Flat Track racing series. The line-up includes current National Champion Bryan Smith (departing Kawasaki), three-time champ Jared Mees (formerly on a Harley-Davidson), and recent Santa Rosa Mile winner and 2013 National Champion Brad “The Bullet” Baker (also formerly a factory Harley rider). Reckon Indian is putting some big bucks on the table?
TWO OUT OF THREE OF THESE GUYS WOULD WRECK EACH OTHER TO BASH THEIR WAY TO A WIN, NOT SAYING THEY WOULD HURT EACH OTHER PURPOSEFULLY, BUT THEY ARE NOT IN LOVE.
HOW CAN INDIAN AFFORD THREE OF THE TOP RIDERS ON THE PRO FLAT TRACK CIRCUIT? I REALLY DON'T KNOW, WAY ABOVE MY PAY GRADE.
IF THE INDIAN IS CONSISTENT WITHOUT ANY NAGGING PROBLEMS, THEY WILL CRUSH EVERYONE IN SIGHT! JUST SAYING...
LET'S JUST GET IT OVERWITH, TAKE THE PILL AND TURN THE WORLD OVER TO THE MACHINES.
CREEDENCE GIVEN TO THE DREAMERS. MAN VS. MACHINE... MAN LOSES!!
US Presidential hopeful Zoltan Istvan, a Third Party candidate in the race to become America’s next leader, has warned that the development of AI is going to have the biggest impact on humanity that has ever been.
Scientists across the globe have been frantically working on the development of artificial intelligence, which would see machines or software expressing intelligence on par with humans.
Many have warned on the perils of developing machines that are as capable as us, as it could realistically make humans obsolete as they could take our jobs, and eventually see us as more of a hindrance.
Mr Istvan, a transhumanist – a movement that wants to use science and technology to radically change the human being and the human experience by merging our bodies with machine – and futurist, share similar worries.
I WATCHED STAR TREK WHEN PLAYING IN THE DUMBASS YOUNG TEENAGER WORLD...
TRANSHUMANIST! WTF IS A TRANSHUMANIST??
SO THESE PEOPLE HAVE SKIPPED THE INFORMATIVE YEARS AND BYPASSING "GO" GIVING-UP THE HUMAN FACTOR FOR THE WONDERFULLY FRIGHTENING AI TECHNOLOGY. WAIT, THAT TECHNOLOGY IS TOTALLY CONTROLLED BY MAN HIMSELF.
SURRENDER BEFORE WE EVEN GO TO WAR. JOHN CONNOR IS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN... YET!
HICCUPS CAN KILL!!!
The first ever death in an autonomous car happened in May this year, the US road safety administration revealed yesterday. A man was killed after his Tesla, operating in Autopilot mode, hit an articulated lorry. The accident has cast doubt over the safety of the technology, but the baby should not be thrown out with the bathwater, say experts.
Joshua Brown was driving along a Florida highway in a Tesla Model S that had been switched to Autopilot mode, when a lorry joined the road from a cross street. Unable to distinguish the white truck against the brightly lit sky, the self-driving system failed to apply the brakes.
In a press release, Tesla said the incident was a tragic loss, but noted that it was the first fatality in 130 million miles of Autopilot driving. The company compared that to regular driving, which incurs one fatality per 94 million miles in the US.
Tesla also stressed that the self-driving feature is still in the beta testing phase, and is only designed to be semi-autonomous. Drivers are instructed to keep their hands on the steering wheel in case of a software hiccup.
IT'S OK... JUST A HICCUP AND A MAN DIES!!
GET READY! WE WILL BE USING KEVLAR UMBRELLAS TO SHIELD OURSELVES FROM FLYING ROTOR BLADES AND BODY PARTS STREAMING FROM THE SKIES!!!
The Federal Aviation Authority has shoved your Uber for planes idea back into the hangar. Yesterday, it ruled that it has banned pilots from "publicly offering seats on their planes in exchange for gas money,"
Staff Sgt. Kevin J. McEnroe
