Description
This collection contains correspondence, clippings, photographs and other materials relating to the death of SM2/c Harold
E. Summers, USN on the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Background
Signalman Second Class Harold Edgar Summers, United States Navy (1919 - 12/7/1941) was born in Akron, Ohio to Orlie Edgar
Smmers and Nellie May (Malin) Summers. He enlisted in the Navy on February 2, 1938. He served aboard the USS Arizona and was
three months shy of completing his service in the Navy when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. His body was never recovered
among the wreckage of the USS Arizona and in February 1942 the family received a notice stating that it would be impossible
to find him and that the Navy was declaring him killed in action on December 7, 1941. After pronounced dead, his brother Sergeant
Robert M. Summers, United States Marine Corpse joined the Marines rather than wait to be drafted and fought in the Pacific;
including Saipan where he was injured and Iwo Jima where he earned the Bronze Star Medal. Aunt Carrie expresses in one of
her letters to Lucile that she thinks his enlistment would be better than waiting to be drafted.
Extent
0.3 Linear feet
(5 folders)
Restrictions
There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the
responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.
Availability
This collection is open for research.