Grandville-Born Pearl Harbor Sailor to be Buried in Hawaii

A Michigan-born patriot who served as a sailor during the Pearl Harbor attack and lost his life will finally receive a proper burial in Hawaii.

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Pearl Harbor Attack

December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and has been a day that has lived in infamy throughout American history, with articles written, artifacts, memorials, and more.

Japan made a bold move by a surprise attack using 350 Japanese aircraft that either sunk or damaged 18 U.S. naval ships. 8 of those vessels were battleships with 300 aircraft destroyed or damaged in the process. The worst statistic of all was that 2,403 men were killed in the attack. One of those men was from Grandville, Michigan.

Grandville-Born Pearl Harbor Sailor to Finally Be Laid to Rest in Hawaii

The sailor's name is Raymond Devere Boynton and he was born in Grandville, Michigan, May 3, 1922. Boynton was 18 years old and serving as a Seaman 2nd Class on the USS Oklahoma that was stationed in Pearl Harbor during the attack.

The above photo shows a look at the USS Oklahoma that Boynton served on in his time as a sailor before the attack at Pearl Harbor.

The photo above is of the hull of the USS Oklahoma after the attack where rescuers worked to try and save men that were trapped inside.

Boynton was awarded and decorated with a Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal (with Bronze Star), and a World War II Victory Medal.

It was through DNA profiling with samples of family members that the Navy was able to identify Boynton and now a proper Naval burial will finally take place at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii on March 20, 2024.

Information used in this article came from the Navy Office of Community Outreach press release.

Read More: Only One of Three USS Michigan Ships Ever Saw the State's Shores