STORY OF TWIN BROTHERS
SERVING ABOARD USS ARIZONA
Delbert Jake Anderson and John Delmar Anderson were twin brothers born on August 26, 1917 in Verona, North Dakota. During their youth, the family moved to Dilworth, Minnesota, where the boys graduated from high school. John enlisted in the Navy on March 16, 1937, followed by Delbert on May 18, 1937. Following recruit training at Great Lakes, John was first stationed on the carrier USS Saratoga, then transferred to the Destroyer USS Edsall which saw service in China. On September 19, 1937 Delbert was assigned to the battleship USS Arizona and in 1940 John was transferred to the Arizona where he joined his twin brother.
On December 7, 1941, the Anderson twins were both Boatswain Mates Second Class assigned to different gun crews. John was assigned to the 14-inch #4 Gun Turret and Delbert was assigned to antiaircraft guns. John’s assignment that morning was to assist in setting up for the church service on the fan tail. He finished his task and proceeded to the mess hall for breakfast when he heard a loud explosion. He reportedly looked out a hatch and saw planes he recognized as Japanese. As he was going to sound the alarm, an explosion blew him back out of the hatch and he immediately proceeded to his #4 Turret battle station, loaded the guns and made them ready. When this was completed, John requested permission to go help his twin brother on the antiaircraft guns and as he emerged from the turret a huge explosion occurred. Fire was everywhere and he was blown to the deck by the #4 Turret. As he regained his senses, he saw the Damage Control Officer ordering men into small boats who began to yell ordering John into a boat. John refused saying, “I will not leave until I find my brother.” The officer then pushed John over the side into a barge. When John was taken to Ford Island, he was determined to return to the ship to search for Delbert. John and a fellow crewman swam out to a small, empty boat. Once aboard Arizona, John was unable to locate Delbert but picked up three men who were severely burned and injured, and put them in the boat. As their boat pulled away from the Arizona another huge explosion destroyed John’s small boat, he was thrown into the harbor and was the only survivor. After swimming back to Ford Island, he found a bomb crater in which he sought shelter until the bombing subsided. The following day, John was assigned with others to round up survivors and bodies from the water. Unfortunately, Delbert was killed aboard Arizona during the attack.
Although John suffered severe burns during the attack, he survived his injuries and was assigned to the destroyer USS MACDONOUGH which participated in numerous battles across the Pacific. John was discharged from the Navy in 1945 and worked as a movie stuntman while also taking night classes in meteorology. A friend convinced John to join the Naval Reserve which he reportedly did in 1953. He also became a television meteorologist personality and a real estate agent. John died on November 14, 2015 survived by his wife, four sons, 24 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. At his request, John’s ashes were interred in #4 Turret aboard the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 2016, rejoining his twin brother, Delbert, whose body was never recovered and is presumably still entombed aboard the USS Arizona.
Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)
