Charles H. Johannes

Died while in MIA status. Crew member aboard the USS Oklahoma, killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor along with 428 fellow crewmen.

North Dakotans lost on the Oklahoma:

• Radioman Second Class Walter H. Backman of Wilton, Burleigh County, North Dakota. Remains accounted for 7/17/2017.
• Fireman First Class Charles R. Casto of North Dakota. Remains accounted for 11/21/2016
• Fireman First Class Lawrence H. Fecho of Upham, McHenry County North Dakota. Remains accounted for 2/21/2017.
• Fireman First Class Edward D. Johnson of New Rockford, Eddy County, North Dakota. Remains accounted for 9/29/2020.
• Seaman Second Class Charles H. Johannes of Foxholm, Ward County, North Dakota. Remains accounted for 10/18/2021.
• Gunners Mate First Class Arthur C. Neuenschwander of Fessenden, Wells County, North Dakota. Remains accounted for 11/8/2017.
• Seaman Second Class Calvin H. Palmer (Brother to Wilferd D. Palmer) of Minot, Ward County, North Dakota. Remains accounted for 3/19/2019.
• Seaman Second Class Wilferd D. Palmer (Brother to Calvin H. Palmer) of Minot, Ward County, North Dakota. Remains accounted for 3/19/2019.
• SFC Everett I. Severinson of Reynolds, Grand Forks County, North Dakota. Radioman Second Class Walter H. Backman of Wilton, Burleigh County, North Dakota. Remains accounted for 7/17/2017.
• Fireman First Class Charles R. Casto of North Dakota. Remains accounted for 11/21/2016
• Fireman First Class Lawrence H. Fecho of Upham, McHenry County North Dakota. Remains accounted for 2/21/2017.
• Fireman First Class Edward D. Johnson of Newrockford, Eddy County, North Dakota. Remains accounted for 9/29/2020.
• Seaman Second Class Charles H. Johannes of Foxholm, Ward County, North Dakota. Remains accounted for 10/18/2021.
• Gunners Mate First Class Arthur C. Neuenschwander of Fessenden, Wells County, North Dakota. Remains accounted for 11/8/2017.
• Seaman Second Class Calvin H. Palmer of Minot, Ward County, North Dakota. Remains accounted for 3/19/2019.
• SFC Everett I. Severinson of Reynolds, Grand Forks County, North Dakota. 

UPDATE: On October 18, 2021, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) made a group identification which included Seaman Second Class Charles H. Johannes.

Seaman Second Class Johannes entered the U.S. Navy from North Dakota. On December 7, 1941, he was a crew member aboard the USS Oklahoma when the ship came under attack from Japanese forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Oklahoma capsized in the attack, and SEA2 Johannes was among those killed in the incident. In the years following the attack, remains were recovered from the Oklahoma. Those that could not be identified at the time were buried as unknown remains at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 2015, the DPAA received authorization to exhume unknown remains associated with the Oklahoma and reexamine them using advances in forensic techniques. A group of unidentified remains were disinterred and accessioned into the DPAA laboratory as part of this effort. A group identification was made for these remains, which included SEA2 Johannes.

Seaman Second Class Johannes is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

If you are a family member of this service member, you may contact your casualty office representative to learn more about your service member.