July 7, 2025 Story by: Publisher
A significant excerpt from an oral history interview with Clark Simmons, a survivor of the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack aboard the USS Utah, has been removed from the National Park Service (NPS) website.
Simmons’ firsthand account, conducted on December 7, 1998, by researcher Daniel Martinez, provided unique insight into the lives of Black sailors during one of the most pivotal moments in WWII. Though the full oral history has disappeared from the NPS site, portions of it can still be found on military history archives and USS Utah survivor memorial sites.
Photo caption: Clark Simmons, a Pearl Harbor survivor and trailblazing Black Navy serviceman, stands as a powerful voice in recounting the overlooked experiences of African American sailors during World War II. (Photo courtesy of: USS Utah 1941)
Clark Simmons: USS Utah Survivor and Mess Attendant Third Class
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Simmons served as a Mess Attendant Third Class aboard the USS Utah—a former dreadnought converted into a training and target ship moored at Ford Island. Military.com features an article where Simmons recounts his experience in his own words, revealing both the harrowing events of December 7 and the lived experience of segregation in the Navy prior to America’s entry into WWII.
In his detailed interview, Simmons recalls the surprise attack during “Cinderella Liberty,” the torpedoes striking the USS Utah’s hull below the waterline, the swift flooding, and the eight minutes it took for the ship to capsize. He describes the tense moment of boarding via portholes with fellow crew members, followed by abandoning ship and swimming to safety.
The Missing NPS Excerpt
Photo caption: Clark Simmons, a USS Utah survivor and World War II veteran, recalls the morning of December 7, 1941, during a 1998 interview once hosted by the National Park Service—now removed from their public archive.
The detailed transcript of his December 7, 1998 interview, once hosted on the NPS site, included a rich Q&A about his life aboard the Utah, his motivations for enlisting, and his emotions at the time of the attack. An excerpt on ussutah1941.org retains lines such as:
“Well, I was off that whole weekend… and one of the fellows… said, ‘The ship in front of us just blew up’… I think they found out that a torpedo had gone through…”
This passage provides nuanced context to Simmons’ military role and highlights systemic issues like racial assignment practices. However, the full transcript accessible via NPS has disappeared, removed sometime before July 2025, raising questions about archival integrity.
Photo caption: WWII Navy veteran Clark Simmons, one of the few surviving African American sailors from the USS Utah at Pearl Harbor, courageously shared his story to preserve the memory of those lost and the legacy of those who served. (Photo courtesy of USS Utah 1941)
Surviving the Records: Military.com & USS Utah Archive
While NPS has removed the content, two public sources preserve Simmons’s memories:
- Military.com article (“USS Utah Sailor Describes…”), with long excerpts from the 1998 interview covering his enlistment, service, firsthand account of torpedoes missing the ship, the rapid flooding, and his evacuation decision.
- USSUtah1941.org, which hosts the interview excerpt and credits its origin in the NPS materials, confirming the original recording was intended for public historical preservation.
Why This Matters
- Historical Integrity & Access
Simmons’s story offers vital representation of Black sailors—many of whom served in overlooked roles—shedding light on both their bravery and the segregation they faced. - Preserving Diverse Narratives
Oral histories enrich public understanding of WWII. Removing them limits educational resources and erodes historical accuracy.
Conclusion
Clark Simmons’s testimony uniquely bridges the personal and historical: a Black hero who survived disaster and rose above systemic barriers—his story deserves permanent visibility. As researchers working on WWII veterans and Pearl Harbor heroes, documenting both what’s preserved and what disappears is essential to maintaining a full account of our shared history.
Source: Military.com / USS Utah 1941
