By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Johans Chavarro,
Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Detachment Hawaii
PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- An ash-scattering ceremony was held
for Pearl Harbor survivor Urban K. Mills on May 19 at the USS Utah Memorial on
Ford Island, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
Born on Feb. 19, 1919 in Arkansas, Mills joined the Navy
following high school and went to Recruit Training Command in San Diego, after
which he was assigned to the miscellaneous auxiliary USS Argonne (AG 31). Mills
went on to achieve the rank or Chief Petty Officer, serving on the gilliam-fast
attack transport USS Brule (APA 66), the gearing-class destroyer USS McKean (DD
784) and the fuel oil barge USS Whipstock (YO 49).
Jim Taylor, Pearl Harbor survivor liaison, gave an overview
of Mills' life and military service to Sailors, friends and family members at
the ceremony.
According to Taylor, on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Mills
had just been relieved from watch so he could go to breakfast when he heard and
noticed low-flying planes above him.
"He and most of the others figured it was just another
training evolution so they didn't get very excited about it," said Taylor.
"Then they saw huge columns of smoke coming from a couple battleships. It
still didn't immediately dawn on anyone what was going on until they saw one of
the planes drop a torpedo toward one of the battleships."
It was then, Taylor said, that the ship's bell began to
ring, calling everyone to their battle stations. For Mills, this entailed
manning an anti-aircraft gun on the main deck of Argonne.
It was at this time that Mills, and those around him,
noticed all of the ammo was in storage.
"He and another shipmate finally broke open the lock on
a storage bin and a line was formed to get the ammo to the guns," said
Taylor. "The ship did quite well getting the shells into the air and the
crew was quite proud of their success."
Following the attack, Mills became responsible for driving
one of the ship's boats to rescue Sailors in the burning water.
"His life made a huge change that day," said
Taylor. "Amazingly, the Argonne was able to make it through the attack
without losing any of its crewmembers."
Later, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Mills left Hawaii
and headed to the Pacific, serving in the Korean War and later being deployed
to Korea, Yokohama and Yokosuka Japan.
He served in the Navy until October 1960, when he was
honorably discharged.
"I feel quite certain [Mills] would have said he wasn't
a hero, that he was just doing his job, doing what he was trained to do,"
said Taylor. "I differ with that. I believe everyone who has worn the
uniform of our military is, and were, heroes."
For Linda and Matthew John McCulloch, Mills' daughter and
grandson, the ash-scattering ceremony at the USS Utah Memorial proved to be the
perfect resting place for Mills.
"It's just amazing because it's what he really
wanted," said Linda. "He had very fond memories of his time in
Hawaii...so it's only right that he should be back here."
"It's really surreal [being here] because all I ever
really remember him talking about was how he wanted his ashes spread here and
to be with the rest of his shipmates," said Matthew John. "I honestly
couldn't have asked for a better service."
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