Ray Chavez, the oldest veteran survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor will have a San Diego post office dedicated in his honor after congress passed a bill introduced last year by Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52).
The bill, H.R. 3005, was proposed to rename the Poway Post Office on 13308 Midland Rd. as the "Ray Chavez Post Office Building" in honor of the American hero who died in 2018 at the age of 106.
On Monday, the bill was signed by President Trump after it passed in both the House and Senate without amendment, and with unanimous consent.
"When I found out he was the oldest [Pearl Harbor] survivor in the country, passed away in November [2018], I thought, what a fine tribute this would be not just to him and his family and his community, but to all the veterans who served," Peters said last year.
Chavez's daughter, U.S. Navy veteran Kathleen Chavez, said her father would have been humbled by the honor, just as he was in life when he received attention for his service.
"He’s probably looking down from heaven right now thinking, 'Gosh, I don’t know why they’re making such a big deal. I was just doing my job,'" she said with a laugh.
Chavez served missions on a minesweeper and attack transport ship and responded to Pearl Harbor on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941.
Ray Chavez enjoyed cake with family and friends at his 105th birthday party on Friday.
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It was a day of tributes for Ray Chavez, who was the oldest living veteran survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor before his death on Nov. 21.
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Chavez, a Poway resident for most of his life, is pictured here in 2016.
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Family, friends and veterans attended the ceremony at St. Michael's Catholic Church.
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School students stood along the route of the procession to show their respect.
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A motorcycle group known as Patriot Guard Riders accompanied the hearse to Miramar National Cemetery.
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President of the local chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association Stu Hedley, 97, was asked to be a part of the service. He said Chavez was "very quiet, very reserved but always faithful."
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Matt Rascon
Chavez pictured on July 3, 2015.
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Members of the public stood along the procession route. Some stood at attention while others waved flags.
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Chavez pictured in March 2017 during a visit to the Midway Museum in downtown San Diego.
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He served on the U.S. Navy coastal minesweeper USS Condor. Chavez lost several of his friends in the attack. He said he was lucky to have survived.
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The Miramar cemetery where Ray Chavez was laid to rest on Thursday.
