A Pearl Harbor sailor finally identified, buried in Fresno

With the help of modern technology that helped identify a Navy sailor who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor, the remains of Able Seaman Denver True “DT” Kyser were finally laid to rest Saturday after- noon at Fresno Memorial Gardens.

Kyser was from Oklahoma. But with his remaining family having all long since moved to California, military service ended up taking place in Fresno.

Kyser was 18 at the time and was serving on the battleship USS Oklahoma when Japanese planes attacked Ford Island, Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

The USS Oklahoma suffered multiple torpedo hits and quickly capsized, killing 429 crew members, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).

The attack launched the United States into World War II.

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew.

Recently, Kyser’s remains were exhumed and identified using his DNA and modern forensic technology.

According to the Navy, Kyser’s name is recorded on the walls of the missing at the Punchbowl on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, along with the other World War II missing. A rosette will be placed next to their name to indicate that they have been considered.

This story was originally published May 21, 2022 7:05 p.m.