MIDKIFF, W.Va. — One of the state’s last survivors of Pearl Harbor, Wetzel “Sundown” Sanders, died over the weekend. He was 96.
The Lincoln County native and his brother served in the Navy in World War II. Wetzel was stationed in Pearl Harbor when it was attacked by the Japanese on Dec. 7, 1941. He remembered that fateful day when he spoke with MetroNews at the 2017 Pearl Harbor Day ceremony in downtown Charleston.
“I was in my camp. I woke up and heard the awfulest noise going on and we had our guns loaded, already loaded with ammunition and everything cause we were (previously scheduled) to go in there on maneuvers and they called it off,” Sanders said. “We got down there and some of them Zeroes (Japanese planes) strafed us on the way down there. Guys on the truck beat on the cab and I stopped to get out and get under it. I had seven holes shot in my truck that I got at Pearl Harbor.”
Despite being injured in the attack, Sanders failed to receive a Purple Heart until an emotional September 2017 ceremony after several months of work with U.S. Senator Joe Manchin.
Manchin said during Monday’s MetroNews “Talkline” Sanders was overlooked because his paperwork was with the Army instead of the Navy.
“He was in the Navy but the Army took care of him (after he was wounded). The Army had his records and his records didn’t transfer but we finally got that corrected and when he was awarded a Purple Heart he enjoyed it so much.”
During that 2017 interview with MetroNews, Sanders said his best memory of World War II came at the end of the war in 1945, four years after Pearl Harbor.
“I watched them (the Japanese) sink the West Virginia. They got seven torpedoes into it and one bomb but what done me good, Sept. 2, 1945, the West Virginia pulled into Tokyo Harbor with the others following it.”
Sanders fought back tears as he remembered the complete turnaround from what he saw on Dec. 7, 1941.
Gayle and I were saddened to hear of the passing of Wetzel “Sundown” Sanders, an American hero and an inspiration to us all. We join all West Virginians in sending their prayers for his family during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/wPDOE7GnEH
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) August 19, 2019
He also attended the 75th anniversary of the bombing in 2016 and planned on being there for the 80th anniversary.
“The oldest one there was 104 and he was looking forward to the 80th anniversary and I told him when he gets there to look for me because I’ll only be 99,” Sanders chuckled.
Sanders buried his brother in 2017. The Sanders Brothers Bridge on Route 10 at Midkiff between Huntington and Logan is named in their honor.
Manchin said he spoke with Sanders’ daughter Monday.
“He just went very fast. It was very painful there for a while and it went very fast for him. He passed in peace at the end,” Manchin said.