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SACRAMENTO –

Durrell Connor, 96, probably thought he’d never lay eyes again on this giant American flag.

After all, it’s been more than 70 years since Durrell, just 23 then, aboard the USS California, grabbed the fallen flag from the deck and raised old glory to a cheering crew below, while under attack by the Japanese in Pearl Harbor.

Today, they honored Yeoman 2nd Class Connor for his act of heroism while aboard a sinking ship as bombs exploded around him. What kept him alive that infamous day in American history?

“I don’t know. I was lucky I guess,” Connor said.