Second-oldest survivor of Pearl Harbor passes away at 104

Colorado Springs resident and second-oldest survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack Jim Downing passed away Tuesday.

Downing was a Navy service member stationed in Hawaii when Japanese fighters attacked on Dec. 7, 1941. He moved to Colorado Springs in 1956 with his family.

Jim’s life would be forever linked to the “date which will live in infamy,” according to his obituary. During the attack, with a fire hose in one hand, Jim memorized the name tags of the fallen men around him so he could write a personal letter to their families.

Downing wrote several books throughout his life, including one detailing the events that took place in the Philippines while the attack on Pearl Harbor took place.

He officially retired from The Navigators, a ministry group, in 1983, but he continued to speak and teach across the world.

Downing is survived by six children, nine grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.