Survivor of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor honored

Last week, Warren D Hewett of St Johns County turned 92-years-old; but this birthday was extra special this year thanks to a tip picked up by Historic City News special events photographer Mark Cubbedge while he was photographing Hewett for the veterans portrait book he is working on.

This December will mark 75 years since Japanese fighter pilots attacked the US Navy Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Hewett was stationed at Pearl and saw action that day, making him one of the very few remaining survivors. Hewett left the Navy seventy years ago.

He and his wife Evelyn have been married for 68 years. They came to St Augustine in 1986 and live at Treasure Beach.

While Cubbedge was interviewing Hewett and taking photographs, the WWII veteran told him that although he is a Pearl Harbor survivor, due to an oversight, he never received the Pearl Harbor Survivors Medal established by Congress in 1990.

After the interview, Cubbedge contacted Congressman Ron DeSantis’ office to determine the protocol for researching and awarding military honors. With invaluable assistance from Randy Stapleford, military and veteran affairs liaison for the Congressman, Cubbedge got the bad news that the medal Hewett had earned is no longer minted.

Not to have come this far for nothing, Stapleford told Cubbedge and the Congressman of the dilemma. Two weeks later, one remaining medal was located. Taking Hewett’s story to heart, DeSantis arranged to have his medal and service awards framed in a shadow box which he personally presented to Hewett earlier this week.

A granddaughter and one of Hewett’s great grandchildren were counted among more than a dozen relatives and friends who attended the private ceremony at the District 6 office in St Augustine.

“On behalf of the office and the district, thank you for your service to our country,” DeSantis, who is also a decorated veteran, said as he presented the medals to Hewett.

“I can’t even put into words what this means to me,” Warren Hewett told DeSantis after the presentation. “I just thank God for people like you who care enough about us to go and dig this information up and make it happen.”

“We’re very happy to be of service for this,” DeSantis said. “World War II was an important time in our history and we want to recognize the people who served us well.”

Photo credits: © 2015 Historic City News staff photograph by Mark Cubbedge