Grant Samuel Gardner
December 25, 1918 ~ May 27, 2011
Pearl Harbor Survivor
Grant passed away peacefully at the Utah State Veterans Nursing Home May 27, 2011.
He was born December 25, 1918 to John Henry Gardner and Bertha Sandberg, in Salt Lake County.
Grant joined the Navy on December 5, 1940 and served during World War II in the Pacific. He was assigned to the USS Mugford, a destroyer. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked, serving at the bow of the ship as a first class gunners mate.
In 1945, the Mugford assisted in removing American prisoners of war after Nagaski was devastated by an atomic bomb.
Because the Mugford was contaminated by radioactivity, she was scuttled off Kwajalein on March 22, 1948.
Grant was released from the Navy with an honorable discharge having served his country for six years. During his service he received several commendations. He was awarded eight Stars in the Asian Pacific, two Stars for the Philippine Liberation, one Star for American Defense and the high honor of a Purple Heart.
Grant was preceded in death by his first wife, Lillus Cartwright (1957). He married Loya Perkins of Monticello, UT on May 1, 1964. Loya preceded him in death on September 19, 2004. Grant was also preceded in death by his parents, brothers John (Vera), Aaron and Merrill, and his only sister, Verena Sleath.
Grant is survived by his brother, Hugh Mac Gardner; sister-in-law, Nola Gardner; two step-children, Myron A. Soltau and Kristine Bailey; many nieces and nephews; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside services were held with military honors Friday, June 3, 2011 at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park in Salt Lake City.