Thousands of county residents packed the flight deck of the U.S.S. Midway Museum on Aug. 15 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII. Among the approximately 300 WWII veteran honorees that night were a handful of vets with South Bay connections. One of them was the former President of the Chula Vista Pearl Harbor Survivors Club, Stuart “Stu” Hedley.
Hedley has a unique perspective in that he was aboard the U.S.S. West Virginia when it was attacked at Pearl Harbor and he also witnessed the first use of the atomic bomb from a ship off the Japanese coast near Hiroshima. There can’t be too many people still living who were present for both the beginning and end of the U.S. involvement of WWII.
At 93, Hedley is remarkably active and sharp. He was “thrilled” with the Midway celebration. It included a WWII formation flyover, inspiring speeches and a recreated Bob Hope USO show. The backdrop of a World War II era aircraft carrier couldn’t have been better.
Costumed actors and singers that looked and sounded like 40s stars such as Hope, Judy Garland, Carmen Miranda and the Andrews Sisters delighted the large multi-generational audience. They were backed by the sounds of an authentic big band. Adding authenticity to the event were the many local residents who arrived at the Midway in WWII era clothing. Following the USO show they jitterbugged into the night.
Hedley has made it his mission in life to enlighten the younger generations with his eyewitness testimony. Over the years, he has visited many classrooms to share his remarkable stories. Despite his age he continues to attend various WWII commemorations and address classrooms throughout the county.
“I owe it all to the Lord,” Hedley said. “He is the one that rules my life. He guides me and protects me. He protected me all during WWII. In fact, I went through all of WWII and Korea and never got so much as a scratch.”
Hedley’s unique vantage point on our nation’s history has open many doors for him and allowed him to enjoy several memorable experiences. One occurred on a visit to Hawaii.
“In 2000 while we were visiting Hawaii (fellow Pearl Harbor Club member) Gordon Jones and I were interviewed by Tom Brokaw for a National Geographic documentary called the Legacy of Pearl Harbor.”
On another occasion Hedley had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Captain Mitsuo Fuchida, the pilot that coordinated the aerial attack on Pearl Harbor.
Hedley’s motivation in sharing his often painful experiences was fueled by a visit to a local history class nearly 30 years ago.
“In 1986, I was asked to speak to a class at Point Loma High School,” he recalled. “I looked at the history book they were using. It had just two paragraphs on Pearl Harbor and only two pages about all of World War II.”
From that point on Hedley has made it his mission to enlighten students in the South Bay and beyond about the events of World War II.
“I want students to know what we went through and what WWII was all about. As long as the Lord gives me breath and a mind to remember I am going to convey my message,” he added.
