On December 7, 1941, the USS Oklahoma was stationed at Pearl Harbor in Battleship Row in Hawaii. She was hit by several torpedoes and capsized in the attack by the Japanese military. In all, 429 crew members died and 32 were wounded. The ship was salvaged in 1943 and a portion was recovered in 2006. In 2007, a memorial was dedicated on Ford Island near the USS Missouri museum.

The Dec. 7, 2016 The Portage Daily Register article titled “A sacred harbor,” gave the story of the 75th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

The list of names “honoring those who were lost” included 2,004 Navy, 239 Army, 111 Marines, and 48 civilians killed in the attack.

Remains of the unknown were interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. In 2015, the Department of Defense began a DNA analysis program. From 2017-2021, they began identifying surviving family members and returning the remains to be reburied at the wishes of the next of kin. They were able to identify 396 of the 429 crew members.

This includes Machinist’s Mate 1c Harold Francis Carney who served with the U.S. Navy on the USS Oklahoma. 

Harold Francis Carney was born on Oct. 26, 1918 in Benton in Lafayette County to John Arthur and Mary Ellen (McCann) Carney.

His parents were married on Jan. 23, 1912 in Dubuque, Iowa. The first three children were born in Iowa in 1913, 1914, and 1916. Harold was born in Lafayette County, Wisconsin in 1918. His next three siblings were born in 1919, 1922 and 1924 in Lafayette County. {Note: This researcher couldn’t locate the all of the family on the 1920, 1930 or 1940 U.S. Census.). According to later news reports, he was one of nine children including a sister born in 1928. Some of the children spent time in an orphanage and others were taken in by different family members over time.

Harold’s mother Mary Ellen died in childbirth on April 16, 1928 in Benton, Lafayette County, Wisconsin.

From the 1930 U.S. census, Harold Carney was the nephew living with his maternal uncle John F. McCann and his wife Marie in Dubuque, Iowa. His uncle was a city fireman for the fire department.

According to Honor States, Harold Francis Carney enlisted with the U.S. Navy in Dubuque, Iowa on Oct. 12, 1937. 

From the Feb. 20, 1942 Wisconsin State Journal article titled “Native of Benton Killed in Action,” the news from Benton stated “Harold Carney, 23, Dubuque, a native of this Lafayette county village, was officially listed as killed in action today. The youth, son of John Carney, Dubuque, left Benton when a child, he was listed as missing after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the navy changed the report in a telegram this week.”

From the May 5, 1942 The Des Moines Register article, “Navy Announces Names of 98 Iowa Ward dead,” the list included Harold Francis Carney, father, John Arthur Carney, Dubuque.”

From the 1949 WWII Bonus Case Files for Beneficiaries in Iowa, father John Arthur Carney of Dubuque, Iowa filed a claim for WWII Service Compensation for his son Machinist’s Mate First Class Harold Francis Carney, who was killed in action at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941.

An obituary published by the Boston Globe from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1, 2021 for “Harold F. Carney,” from “Benton, Wisconsin, was killed in action on December 7, 1941. He served on the USS Oklahoma which was sunk in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, at the beginning of WWII. A military Graveside Service will be held … Saturday, November 6, 2021, at St. Patrick’s Church Cemetery, Benton, Wisconsin, with Rev. David Flanagan officiating...

Harold was born on October 26, 1918, in New Diggings, Wisconsin, the son of John and Mary Ellen Carney. He enlisted in the Navy on October 12, 1937. Harold was a Petty Officer and Machinist’s Mate First Class. He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously.

Harold’s remains were identified through extensive DNA analysis by the US. Navy. This DNA activity has allowed identification of 85% of the 429 Navy and Marine casualties who perished onboard the USS Oklahoma that day.

Harold is joined in death by his parents and eight siblings. He is survived by nieces and nephews from California, Massachusetts, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Florida, many of whom will attend the services. He will be forever cherished due to his gentle nature, and ultimate service to the country.”

Carney is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing in Honolulu and on the USS Oklahoma Memorial in Pearl Harbor, both in Hawaii. He is listed on the Iowa WWII Honor Roll with the U.S. National Archives. He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously.

Thank you, Navy Machinist’s First Class Harold Francis Carney, for your service to and ultimate sacrifice for our country. We honor you and remember you.