SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - World War 2 veterans gathered Monday morning to commemorate 70-years since the sinking of the USS Bush. The destroyer was sunk off the coast of Okinawa by kamikaze pilots in 1945.
The group of veterans and their families came from all over the country to reunite for the last time, honoring the memory of their fallen shipmates.
On April 6, 1945, the USS Bush was sunk off the coast of Okinawa by three Japanese kamikaze planes. During the attack, 87 crew members were lost and 42 were injured. In total, 94 sailors lost their lives.
The four surviving shipmates and family members of others gathered for a memorial service at the Naval Training Center Base Chapel.
This will be the last time the World War 2 veterans, who are all in their 90s, will be able to meet. Their duty aboard the USS Bush was courageous and they will never be forgotten.