USS Arizona Love Letter Found from Sailor to Sweetheart written before Dec 7th Pearl Harbor attack!

ABOUT Operation 85: Honoring the Legacy of USS Arizona's Heroes

Founded by Kevin Kline, the grandnephew of GM2c Robert Edwin Kline, a valiant U.S. Navy sailor who tragically perished aboard the U.S.S. Arizona during the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, "Operation 85" is a remarkable and heartfelt mission. This initiative is dedicated to the noble cause of identifying 85 unknown heroes from the USS Arizona, whose identities have been shrouded in mystery for over eight decades.

Launched in April 2023, "Operation 85" represents a significant step forward in bringing closure to families and honoring the memory of those who gave their lives defending our nation. In just seven months, Kevin, along with the invaluable support of three dedicated volunteers, has achieved astounding progress in this challenging yet profoundly meaningful endeavor. This team has successfully reached out to over 600 surviving family members of the missing U.S.S. Arizona crew, with more than 450 providing the vital "yDNA & mtDNA" reference samples necessary for identification by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner’s System.

The inception of "Operation 85" was driven by Kevin’s discovery that the remains of these service members, long believed to be entombed within the USS Arizona beneath the iconic memorial, were actually interred in commingled graves 10 miles away at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl). This revelation compelled him to fully fund and lead this project, putting his Virginia real estate business on hold to focus on this historical undertaking.

Kevin's unwavering dedication and personal investment have propelled "Operation 85" to reach the halfway mark of the Department of Defense's requirement for 60% DNA representation of the missing USS Arizona crew. This milestone is critical in the identification process of the 85 unknowns resting at the Punchbowl.

Strikingly, "Operation 85" stands as a testament to the power of individual commitment in the face of historical oversight. While Kevin's initiative has garnered collaborative support from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, the Pentagon, and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), it continues to be a predominantly self-funded and family-led mission. Kevin shoulders the significant responsibility of conducting research, making connections, and bearing the financial burden to honor these heroes.

At "Operation 85," our mission transcends the mere identification of these brave souls; it is about restoring their identities, honoring their sacrifice, and offering long-overdue recognition and peace to their families. We stand committed to preserving the legacy of the USS Arizona's crew, ensuring their stories of valor and sacrifice are never forgotten.

Letter Transcript:

May 24, 1941

Dear Edis,

I received your letter yesterday and never was so glad to hear from anyone in my life. (Surprised too)

I never expected to see or hear from you in my life. I can't say that I wasn't mad at you for leaving like you did but that is in the past. I guess you have never left my thoughts very long and a time. I can think of lots of better ways to say goodbye but things still stand as they were before you left, if you want them that way.

As for school, i left it about 4 months ago and my brother and I joined the navy. We are now on the U.S.S. Arizona, a battleship in case you don't know. I like it pretty well and hope you don't mind writing to a sailor.

You asked if I was mad. I can't be mad at anyone very long at a time but I don't forget things very easy. I'm not mad at you and I think you're leaving made me realize how much I liked you.

For weeks, things around school seemed very dead and I felt like quitting, but I didn't. I hope that you will do me the favor of sending me a picture of yourself and I will send you one of me, although I would get the best of the bargain.

I hope that you will consider it anyhow. We are in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii at the present and will probably be here for quite a while.

We go out for practice for a week and then come back to the harbor for a week and then go out again. I don’t know when we will go back to the States again, soon I hope! I wish you were moving to Bremerton Washington instead of to Idaho so that we could see each other again.

Tell me about your school and the country around it and about yourself. Our home fort is Long Beach, so my address is Norman Iverson, 1st Division, USS Arizona Long Beach, California.

Please write soon. There is only one ship out of the States a week.

I can't think of any more to write, so will close for now.

Love,
Norman Iverson