The last living survivor of the USS Arizona, a battleship sunk in the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, has died aged 102.

Lou Conter passed away on Monday at his home in Grass Valley, California, after complications with congestive heart failure, his daughter Louann Daley said.

He was just 18 when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was a quartermaster who stood on the main deck of the Arizona when Japanese planes flew over and attacked on December 7, 1941.

‘I said, “Ok, I’ll sign up”, so I signed up for four years, I was going to leave at 5:45 that night,’ Conter told KCRA.

The assault, which launched the United States into World War II, destroyed most of the fleet stationed at the Hawaii naval base and resulted in the deaths of more than 2,000 Americans.

Around 20 people who were at the surprise attack remain alive today.

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