In Alameda, California, the USS Hornet Museum recently celebrated the 102nd birthday of Alfred J. Payne, a World War II veteran and the last known survivor of the USS Hornet (CV-8). The event, attended by over 50 friends, family, and community members, also marked the debut of a new exhibit titled “USS Hornet: Legacy of the Name.”

Payne, a resident of Sunnyvale, joined the U.S. Navy in 1941 at the age of 17 and trained at the Alameda Naval Air Station. He served aboard the USS Hornet (CV-8) in Hawaii, where he maintained F4F Wildcat fighter aircraft propellers, ensuring the squadron remained mission-ready. His service included participation in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands in October 1942, where he helped battle fires after the ship was attacked. The Hornet ultimately sank, with 140 sailors and aircrew lost.

The USS Hornet (CV-12), now a floating museum in Alameda, was commissioned in honor of the lost ship. The new exhibit on the museum’s second deck tells the story of the original Hornet, its crew, and the battles they fought. Laura Fies, the museum’s Executive Director, stated, “Mr. Payne’s story bridges the legacy between both Hornets. It is especially meaningful to formally open this exhibit with his blessing, aboard the ship that carries forward the name and honor of the one he served on.”

Among the artifacts in the exhibit is a fragment of the B-25 Doolittle Raider, nicknamed “Whirling Dervish,” which crashed in China following the Doolittle Raid, an attack on Japan after Pearl Harbor. This artifact was secured through a cultural exchange with the Quzhou Society in China.

Payne’s great-granddaughter, April Schuman, who was celebrating her 6th birthday, joined him in blowing out the candles on a birthday cake shaped like the famed aircraft carrier, adding a personal touch to the commemorative event.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.