06-03-2025
Pearl Harbor survivor from Louisiana dies at 102
MANY, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A rare story of American history is found in Many, Louisiana where a longtime resident once served in World War II and survived to tell the story.
Jessie Alton Mahaffey survived the attack on Pearl Harbor while being stationed on the infamous battleship, the USS family said he has passed away at the age of 102. Our news team spoke to Mr. Mahaffey for a Veterans Voices special report in 2022.
'He was placed inside the city office and I was put on the battleship Oklahoma,' Mahaffey said.
Mahaffey recounted how he joined in the United States Army in 1941. Born in Florien, Louisiana, he and a group of friends graduated high school and made their way to Shreveport to enlist. He was sent to board the now infamous USS Oklahoma that was soon stationed in Hawaii. When on December 7 of that year, Japanese bombers appeared in the skies and began the attack on Pearl Harbor. Torpedoes hit the Oklahoma's hull and the ship capsized.
'Then it sunk on December 7. First, it all started with Oklahoma. It was easy. She gradually rolled over, and we slid off the bottom of it,' Mahaffey said.
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The haunting images of the sinking of the USS Oklahoma are now a part the famous scenes of what led to World War II. 429 crew members died on the USS Oklahoma, many trapped underneath as the water rose. Some sailors survived through air pockets and rescuers drilled holes and opened hatches to save them. Others jumped off the 50 foot ship into burning oil in the water or crawled across the mooring lines to the USS Maryland. Such a horrifying moment in history that Mahaffey survived.
'Right out of high school in '41 and stayed in the war was over in '45,' Mahaffey said.
Mahaffey continued his service until the war's end. He moved back home to Louisiana and resided in the town of Many. Celebrated by his community in 2022 when he turned the amazing age of 100. When our news team interviewed him then, he told us he was thankful to survive and his best memories were with his shipmates before they died.
'We got to go ashore off the ship to try and find a pretty little lady,' Mahaffey said.
Mahaffey's remarkable journey of survival did not end there. Not only did he survive the bombing of the USS Oklahoma, he survived the sinking of another battleship, the USS Northampton in the Battle Tassafaronga on November 30, 1942 when it was struck by two Japanese torpedoes. 50 crewmen died that day.
Funeral services for Mahaffey are Saturday, March 8 at 2 p.m. at Warren Meadows Funeral Home.
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