Body of WWII veteran to be returned home in Tennessee

JACKSON, Tenn. — A World War II veteran is finally returning to his hometown.

Chief Water Tender Claud White, a native of Dyersburg, was killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

The Navy reports that the ship Claud was stationed on — the USS Oklahoma — was one of the first ships hit by the Japanese Empire that morning.

After multiple torpedo strikes, the USS Oklahoma rolled over and trapped its crew members inside, according to the Navy.

In 1944, the ship was righted and over 400 crew members recovered, according to the Navy.

Some were ID’ed while the rest were buried as unknowns, then a few years later, disinterred to attept to ID more, the Navy says.

The Navy says they were once again buried in 1950, and in 2015 started started DNA analysis to ID them again.

Since then, the Navy says 300 members have been ID’ed.

The Navy reports that Claud will now be buried with full military honors in Dyer this month.

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