Remains of 3 brothers killed during Pearl Harbor attack identified

NEW LONDON, Wis. — U.S. military officials announced Wednesday that the remains of three brothers from Wisconsin who were killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor have been identified.

Officials say 22-year-old Navy Fireman 1st Class Malcolm J. Barber, 21-year-old Navy Fireman 1st Class LeRoy K. Barber and 18-year-old Navy Fireman 2nd Class Randolph H. Barber were assigned to the USS Oklahoma in World War II. They grew up in New London.

The Oklahoma was moored at Ford Island when it was attacked by Japanese aircraft on Dec. 7, 1941. Officials say the ship sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. It resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen.

RELATED

Long after they died, military sees surge in identifications of the fallen in past conflicts

Officials believe remains of nearly half of the 83,000 unidentified service members killed in World War II and more recent wars could be identified and returned to relatives.

The military said the brothers were accounted for on June 10, 2020.

The Navy ship USS Barber, launched in 1943, was named in their honor.

In Other News

Major leadership shakeup, new budget battles coming to VA in 2025

The major Veterans Affairs stories we're keeping an eye on in 2025.

Rollback of DOD anti-extremism efforts coming in 2025, experts predict

The piecemeal progress of extremism-prevention efforts during the past four years is more than can be expected out of the Pentagon in 2025, experts said.

From Grinch greetings to Santa sightings, the holidays come to troops

Holiday helpers have been busy, as plenty of organizations and individuals have been working to make the days a bit brighter for troops and their families.

Will most troops move under new household goods program in 2025?

More than half of installations in the continental United States are moving troops' shipments under the new system.

VA to resume new electronic health record rollout in mid-2026

The project was scheduled to take 10 years and cost $16 billion. Nearly eight years later, only six of VA’s 170-plus medical sites are using the software.

Load More