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U.S.S. Oklahoma sailor's remains laid to rest

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Neal Kenneth Todd, U.S. Navy Fireman 1st Class, who lost his life on the USS Oklahoma during the attack at Pearl Harbor, was brought home to his final resting place on July 10, 2021. (Photo submitted)

By Caroline Rosacker

Neal Kenneth Todd, U.S. Navy Fireman 1st Class, was born on Nov. 5, 1919 in Bemidji, Minn., to Robert B. and Irena (Secord) Todd. He died at the tender age of 22 while serving on the USS Oklahoma during the attack at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. His remains were recently returned to his family in Akeley, Minn., for proper burial with military honors. 

JoAnn Svoboda of Gut-tenberg and her brother, Tom Gardner of Elkader, attended the military service for their distant cousin. "Neal was my mother's first cousin," said Svoboda. "We never met him, but heard about him from our mother. We used to visit that side of the family when we went on our family vacations."

In 2015, the Department of Defense and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) initiated a program to exhume the unidentified sailors who lost their lives that fateful day and attempt to match their DNA against samples of family members whose loved ones were never properly identified. "The military referred to the mass grave as the 'Punch bowl'," said Svoboda. 

Scientists at the DPAA used anthropological analysis and scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA analysis and Y-chromosome analysis to identify the servicemen.  

The soldier's remains were positively identified on Feb. 11, 2021, and he was laid to rest in his hometown of Akeley, Minn., on July 10. "I remember his brother Orville sharing stories about him," she recalled. "His brother, Wesley was also on the USS Oklahoma the day of the bombing. He told us the boat was rocking back and forth and eventually tipped on it side. The oil from the engine room came to the surface of the water, and the bigger guys used it to oil up the smaller guys so they could slide them through the port holes to save their lives. His brother looked all over for him after that, but never found him." 

Neal Kenneth Todd is survived by his brother Orville (Delores) Staffenhagen of Rogers, Minn., his sister Karyn (Glen) Stiffler of Akeley, Minn., and brother-in-law Howard Peterson of Akeley. "It was nice to reunite with our relatives," shared Svoboda. "It was a beautiful day! Local fire departments were on hand to spray water over the top of the jet as it landed at the airport in Minneapolis on Thursday, July 8. There were military personnel from every branch of the service in attendance. There were two soldiers stationed at all times by the casket, and a line of servicemen to walk through on our way to pay our last respects."

Neal's name was listed among the World War II missing in action on the Courts of the Missing at Pearl Harbor; a rosette will now be placed next to his name indicating he has been accounted for. He was laid to rest by the U.S. Navy Honor Guard at the Akeley Cemetery. "His service was held at a church just down the street from the funeral home, so the servicemen carried his casket to that location," she noted. "Following the service he was placed in a hearse, but transferred to a horse-drawn carriage to complete his journey to the cemetery. The servicemen lowered him onto his grave platform and ceremoniously folded three American flags and presented them to his immediate family members. Taps were played, followed by three rounds of a 21-gun salute. Two vintage World War II military airplanes flew over from Minneapolis, followed by two F-16 fighter jets from Duluth Air National Guard, you could hear them coming from miles away." 

Neal is honored and memorialized on the USS Oklahoma Memorial in Oahu, Hawaii, and in the Akeley Paul Bunyan Historical Museum with a display of several artifacts on loan from the family. The American Legion Post in Akeley was named the Neal Todd Post 363. He was awarded the Purple Heart by the U.S. Navy for his ultimate sacrifice. 

A funeral reception was held in the Akeley Park across from the Paul Bunyan Historical Museum. "Neal and his brother wrote letters to their mother nearly each day while serving in the military. Those letters are on display at the museum, along with other artifacts," she commented. 

Neal had four other brothers who served during WWII, with three additional younger brothers serving in the military after the end of the war. Svoboda's father, Don Gardener, served in the Navy during WWII and brothers David and Tom also served in the Navy.

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