I am currently writing a piece on eight sets of brothers that were killed aboard USS Oklahoma during the Pearl Harbor attacks. In 1948, I believe, the government passed a sole survivor policy so a family couldn’t be completely wiped out as the Sullivan Family was.
Yes, the military instituted the ‘’sole survivor’’ rule after the tragedy of the Sullivans. What happened to the USS Arizona on December 7 could be said to have been merciful. Those poor guys never really knew what hit them. What happened to the Oklahoma was horrifying. The Oklahoma was to have a ship wide inspection that day for a visiting admiral so all the water tight doors were open through out the ship so the admirals party could move the ship.
When the attack came in the confusion and rush to battle
stations the doors weren’t secured. After some five torpedo hits the Oklahoma rolled over to starboard trapping hundreds of men below decks. God, how terrifying. Men were trapped in dark compartments while they were being flooded. Just horrifying.