The remains of Royle Bradford Luker, a 17-year-old sailor killed in the World War II Pearl Harbor attack, are returning to his hometown for burial more than 84 years later. Luker will receive a proper burial with full military honors in Plainview, Arkansas, on May 30. He will be buried alongside his parents. His father also served as a veteran in World War I.
Service and Sacrifice
Luker served as a Fireman Third Class in the United States Navy on the U.S.S. West Virginia. He died on duty during the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941. Modern forensic testing and DNA analysis matched his remains with living relatives’ DNA, allowing his identity to be confirmed decades later.
“As a Fireman Third Class in the United States Navy aboard the U.S.S. West Virginia, he gave his all and was killed in the line of duty during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941,” stated his obituary from Cornwell Funeral Homes.
Luker was posthumously honored with several military awards. These include the Purple Heart, given to those wounded or killed in combat, and the Navy Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism under enemy fire.
Awards and Recognition
His other honors include:
- Gold Star Veteran designation
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Navy Expeditionary Medal
- Navy Good Conduct Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
Luker was among 106 crew members killed when Japan launched a surprise assault on Pearl Harbor, striking the USS West Virginia. For decades, he was listed as killed in action while his remains were unidentified.
His remains were initially interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. He was also memorialized on the Courts of the Missing. Nearly 82 years after his death, Luker was officially accounted for on May 29, 2024, following exhumations and modern forensic testing.
Family and Legacy
Luker, the child of WWI veteran George F. Luker and Nettie Estelle David Luker, is survived by two nephews and a niece. His family remembers him with pride and love.
“More than 80 years later, DNA from Royle Luker and a family’s willingness to share their DNA bridged the gap between loss and knowing,” stated his obituary. “He will now be returned home and laid to rest.”
The U.S. Navy reported the USS West Virginia was moored at Ford Island in 1941 when Japanese aircraft attacked using torpedoes. The ship suffered multiple hits and sank in the shallow harbor.