Ivan Atkins, who survived the sinking of the USS West Virginia during the 1941 Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, poses in his Navy uniform in this undated photo taken in the 1940s. (Pacific Historic Parks)

Ivan W. Atkins Jr., who survived the 1941 Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor while serving with two of his brothers aboard the battleship USS West Virginia, died Oct. 27 at age 102, according to an obituary published by McAdams Mortuary.

Atkins, of French Lick, Ind., was among the roughly dozen still-living veterans who survived the Dec. 7 attack that drew the United States into World War II.

Only one survivor, Ira Schab, 105, is slated to attend the 84th commemoration of the attack to be held at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Hawaii.

Atkins was born Nov. 15, 1922, and raised on a farm near Taswell, Ind., with six brothers and a sister, according to an undated profile of the Atkins brothers published online by the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs.

Atkins, then 18, and three brothers — Edward, Melvin and Maurice — traveled to Louisville, Ky., in December 1940 with plans to enlist in the Navy, the article said.

Sixteen-year-old Melvin, however, learned he was too young for the service and opted for a year in the Merchant Marines before enlisting in the Navy.

The remaining three brothers were stationed on the USS West Virginia in Pearl Harbor.

Sailors in a motor launch rescue a survivor from the water alongside the sunken USS West Virginia on Dec. 7, 1941. (U.S. National Archives)

On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, the Atkins brothers and much of the battleship’s crew were on the main deck for a full-dress inspection, according to the article.

The West Virginia was docked beside other ships in a way that left one side exposed to open water. It was almost immediately hit by four torpedoes released by Japanese dive bombers.

The ship’s captain ordered the men assembled on deck to assume battle stations, but many did not get there because of the explosions, fire and smoke, according to the article.

Ivan Atkins scrambled toward his battle station, a gun on a lower deck, but could not make it all the way because of the damage.

With the ship listing badly, the captain ordered the crew to abandon ship.

“My dad shared that he could not see anything below the main deck and struggled to find his way back up,” Atkins’ son Alfred told the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs. “He saw a gleam of light above him and was able to climb up a maintenance ladder near a gun to reach the top deck. He could jump off once he reached the railing.”

The crew managed to keep the ship from capsizing as it sank onto the shallow harbor floor.

The three brothers escaped death by swimming to shore, although they did not learn of each other’s fate until the following day, according to the article.

The attack took the lives of 106 crew members.

The battleship was salvaged and returned to the Pacific theater by late summer 1944.

Ivan Atkins later served aboard the USS Turkey, a minesweeping ship, and then as a gunner aboard the aircraft carrier USS San Jacinto where he defended against kamikaze attacks.

He received an honorable discharge in November 1946.

Before enlisting in 1940, Atkins married his childhood sweetheart, Dorothy Mathers, who died in 1994, according to his obituary.

He is survived by two sons, five daughters and brother Ollie Atkins.