It’s been nearly 80 years, but on Tuesday, a Utah sailor who was killed when Japanese aircraft attacked Pearl Harbor is back home.
Navy Radioman 3rd Class Theodore Q. Jensen was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked on Dec. 7, 1941. The ship sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize resulting in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Jensen, who was 21.
Jensen was from Sutherland, Millard County, and graduated from Delta High School. Earlier this year, Jensen’s niece, who is 85 and remembers Jensen well, got a phone call informing her the Navy had identified his remains.
After a plane carrying Jensen’s remains landed at the Salt Lake City International Airport, they were escorted by members of the Patriot Guard to Delta, where he’ll be buried on Wednesday.
Family members including Margaret Riebeek, Edward Jensen and Theo Dennis Brasher place their hands on the casket of Radioman 3rd Class Theodore Q. Jensen at the Salt Lake City International Airport Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Jensen was on the USS Oklahoma during Pearl Harbor and died on Dec. 7, 1941. His remains were then transported to Delta. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Sharon Senecal hugs Arnold Casey, Patriot Guard rider, and thanks him for honoring and escorting the remains of her uncle, Radioman 3rd Class Theodore Q. Jensen, at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Jensen was on the USS Oklahoma during Pearl Harbor and died on Dec. 7, 1941. His remains were then transported to Delta. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Passengers watch crews unload Radioman 3rd Class Theodore Q. Jensen's casket from a plane at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Jensen was on the USS Oklahoma during Pearl Harbor and died on Dec. 7, 1941 .His remains were then transported to Delta. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Members of the Navy Funeral Honor Guard prepare to render honors as the remains of Radioman 3rd Class Theodore Q. Jensen are unloaded from a plane at THE Salt Lake City International Airport on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Jensen was on the USS Oklahoma during Pearl Harbor and died on Dec. 7, 1941. His remains were then transported to Delta. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News John Jensen thanks Chris Gardner, Patriot Guard rider, for honoring and escorting the remains of his uncle, Radioman 3rd Class Theodore Q. Jensen, at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Jensen was on the USS Oklahoma during Pearl Harbor and died on Dec. 7, 1941. His remains were then transported to Delta. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Family members watch as the remains of Radioman 3rd Class Theodore Q. Jensen arrive at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Jensen was on the USS Oklahoma during Pearl Harbor and died on Dec. 7, 1941. His remains were then transported to Delta. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Members of the Navy Funeral Honor Guard, including Yeoman 2nd Class Ladd White, left, Information Systems Technician 1st Class Troy Phillips and Cytologic Technician 1st Class Corbett Douglass, carry the remains of Radioman 3rd Class Theodore Q. Jensen from a plane to a hearse at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Jensen was on the USS Oklahoma during Pearl Harbor and died on Dec. 7, 1941. His remains were transported from Salt Lake City to Delta. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Members of the Patriot Guard wait escort the the remains of Navy Radioman 3rd Class Theodore Q. Jensen from the Salt Lake City International Airport to Delta with a full escort on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. On Dec. 7, 1941, Jensen was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Jensen. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News The remains of Navy Radioman 3rd Class Theodore Q. Jensen are escorted from the Salt Lake City International Airport to Delta on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. On Dec. 7, 1941, Jensen was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Jensen. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Navy Radioman 3rd Class Theodore Q. Jensen's flag-draped casket can be seen inside of a hearse as it is escorted from the Salt Lake City International Airport to Delta on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. On Dec. 7, 1941, Jensen was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Jensen. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News