The ashes of a Marine who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor were interred inside the USS Arizona on December 23, in fulfillment of his desire to join the comrades he lost on the fateful day that Japan launched a surprise attack on the United States during the Second World War.

An urn with the ashes of Frank Cabiness, who died in Lewisville, Texas nine years ago at the age of 86, were placed by divers inside the sunken battleship USS Arizona. The solemn ceremony included a rifle salute and taps, performed by Hawaii-based Marines from the 3rd Marine Regiment.

Cabiness’ son, Jerry, shared the reason for his father’s desire to be interred at the ship: “He said it was because that’s where he belonged… He lost all of his friends there and he wanted to be with them.”

The interment was a long time coming, as the family dealt with financial problems and the expenses associated with traveling to Hawaii: “But we finally got it done. And it was a beautiful ceremony. The Marines did him proud,” the young Cabiness shared.

Frank Cabiness was a private first class during the attack on Pearl Harbor, which sunk the USS Arizona. He was among 337 crew members of the battleship who survived the attack. He worked for an oil pipeline company in Texas after the war.

Frank Cabiness joins many other crew members who perished when the USS Arizona sank, who are still entombed in the vessel, as well as other survivors who opted to return to the ship after they passed away. Some survivors of the sinking of the USS Utah, the other ship that was sunk in the attack and still remains in the waters of the harbor, have also chosen to do the same.