On December 7, 1941 the battleship USS Oklahoma was moored at berth, outboard of the USS Maryland, at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, when attacked by Japanese forces. The USS Oklahoma suffered multiple torpedo hits, causing it to capsize. 429 sailors and Marines were lost, including Missouri native, Seaman Second Class Harold Lloyd Head, United States Navy.
In the days, months and years following the attack, remains of men lost aboard the USS Oklahoma were recovered. Ultimately, 35 were identified, and the unidentified remains were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific as “Unknowns.”
In 2003, a single casket associated with the USS Oklahoma incident was disinterred from the National Memorial Cemetery. Permission to exhume the remainder of the graves was granted on April 14, 2015. From June 2015 through November 2015, United States Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency personnel, in cooperation with cemetery officials exhumed all remaining caskets and transferred them to DPAA laboratories located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor- Hickman, Hawaii, and Offutt AFB, Nebraska.
On September 26, 2017 the DPAA released the Medical Examiner Summary Report, and confirmed through DNA testing that the remains of Seaman Second Class (S2c) Harold Lloyd Head were recovered and identified.
Harold Lloyd Head was born October 10, 1921 in Browning, Missouri to Noel Price Head and Goldia (Myers) Head. He graduated from Laclede High School, Laclede, Missouri in 1940 and joined the United States Navy that same year. His parents and three sisters are also deceased. Survivors include nephews, nieces and extended family members.
On October 10, 2018, exactly 97 years to the day, following the birth of Harold Lloyd Head, a formal funeral procession will leave from the Meyers Northland Chapel in Parkville, Missouri at 10:30 a.m. to arrive at the Laclede Cemetery in Laclede, Missouri at 1:00 p.m., where Mr. Head will be laid-to-rest. Full military honors will be conducted under the auspices of the United States Navy.
In accordance with the families wishes and the assistance of the United States Navy Mortuary Affairs Office, the Meyers Northland Chapel in Parkville, Missouri has been entrusted with the final arrangements. Family members, friends of the family, fellow comrades and any fellow Americans are encouraged to leave special remarks and words of comfort by visiting Mr. Head’s obituary page at Meyersfuneralchapel.com.
Thank your Harold for serving our country with love and pride. Because of your service and the service of others . We as Americans can live are life in freedom. I know God has a special place for Harold in heaven.. You are a “ANGEL” now. I know you are watching over all of are men and women who are serving this country.
God Bless you Harold.
A true American hero come full circle. God bless you Harold for your service and your sacrifice. I’m so happy that you are truly at peace now. Stand down, Soldier, your work here is done. Your country is grateful.
You gave it all my brother. The Lord has had you for many years, now it is our turn to honor you. The Navy is sending you an Honor Guard to help lay you to your final rest.
It is because of your service and the ultimate sacrifice you gave that has kept this country great and free. It will be an honor to help escort you to your home town to be laid to rest with the dignity and honors that you deserve. God bless you and your family!
Thank you for your service. Good speed.
Mr Head: Thank you for your service; thank you for the bravery you and your fellow servicemen exhibited. May God bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you. May you have eternal peace, the peace that passes all understanding. Although we never met, we send a warm blanket of love to you, forever.
Thank for your service, Mr. Head. I had a father and uncles that served while you were fighting for our country at the same time. What a great group of men you were! I hope you have found peace and contentment in heaven, and know how proud we are of your bravery.
Although I never met you,
my cousin, I remember eating meals with your parents at your home in Laclede. Thank you for what you did.
Dear ” Uncle Harlloyd”, I never met you but to this day have your Service Portrait in my hutch as a reminder of family love, your character & bravery. Giving your life in the unimaginable gave me & so many others life imaginable in the security of Freedom you’ve provided for us. There are no adequate words to express the gratitude & pride held in my heart for you & your fellow soldiers. It will be an honor itself to gather with the rest of our family to birng you home & honor You!
Your niece-in-law, Connie Lamanske
Thank you for your service, God Bless you.
After all this time due Honor and respect will be shown to this America brave young man ,
97 years later …
Seeing Harold Lloyd come home is a somber, proud, patriotic and heart-warming feeling. The pain and grief that the family experienced with his loss, especially by Uncle Noel & Aunt Goldie, can now have closure through us all as he is brought home. The Head family lost 2 in the war, both missing. Now we have 1 still missing. We will continue to fly the Gold Star Flag in their memory. Welcome home Harold Lloyd.
This has ministered comfort to me in the fact that Harold has been identified and is going home. I am familiar with the sinking of the Oklahoma and my wife and I are close friends of Tina and Dave. I thank Harold for the service to his Nation and will not forget as long as there is breath in my lungs. Seven Marines were killed that I served with in the Vietnam War and only one has been recovered, identified, and returned since in 1988. It gives me hope for the other six families that had no real closure. Thank The Lord for His grace and Mercy!
Welcome home to Missouri, thank you for your service/sacrifice.
Thank you for your service and welcome back home to your final resting place
My sympathies to the family of Harold Head. I stand in salute to the sailor who risked, and endured, the last full measure of devotion for his country. May he know eternal light at peace, and the democracy for which he gave his life stand ever free.
What a wonderful day it must have been to get the call that your Uncle’ Harold would be coming home. God Bless the family of this brave man. He can finally be at peace.
Thank you for your service.
“Home, home, home from the sea
Angels of mercy answer our plea
And carry us home, home, home from the sea
Carry us safely home from the sea.”
Welcome home & thank you
I was a child living with my parents just across the park from the Head residence in Laclede, Missouri, on December 7, 1941. My father, Chester Turner Hoover, the postmaster, had encouraged both Harold Lloyd and George Gooch to “join the navy and see the world”. You can only imagine the depth of remorse he felt then, and to his dying day. I knew Lois and Reba, and felt so badly for the loss of their brother. That sadness was felt by the whole town, for everyone knew the Head family. It is a pleasure to know that Harold Lloyd is coming home. Thanks for bringing him back, and my sympathies to you. I hope to see you at the interment.
My grandma, Wilma Myers Guyer was a first cousin to Harold. I remember going to Aunt Goldie’s house. I am glad that Harold is finally being layed to rest and I am thankful for his service to our country.
My dear friend, Chaplain (Father) Totton will officiate and I know he feels honored to do so. Welcome home Seaman Second Class Harold Lloyd Head – thank you for your sacrifice and may you rest in peace.
Although I have visited Laclede, Linn Co., Missouri on several occasion, I was not aware of this family and their local history until very recently (via local communications, and genealogical research on several maternal ancestors). Having been informed that this young and quite handsome WW II Seaman Second Class (S2c) Navy sailor Harold Lloyd Head, would shortly be escorted home has stuck in my heart and mind. I can’t imagine the relief, and happiness this finally gives his living family members. Having him back home, resting with his parents, sisters, uncles and aunts completes their immediate family circle and what a wonderful God-moment this will be. Further, for the thankful folks of Laclede and surrounding area, this becomes another historic moment for them to long remember.
“WELCOME HOME Seaman Second Class (S2c) Navy sailor Harold Lloyd Head, WELCOME HOME.”
I lived in Laclede, at the time I was graduated from High School, Class of 1949. I did not personally know Harold Lloyd Head, but I went to school with his youngest sister Lois, and knew his Mother and his sister Reba. Every One knew about Harold Lloyd and that he had been serving on the Oklahoma, and had died the day of Pearl Harbor. His family often spoke about their memories of him. Many people I knew had known him as a little boy and as the fine young man he had been when he left Laclede to join the Navy. One year, the High School year book, the “Lincola,” was dedicated to him and to another young man, who had lost his life during World War 11. The entire town was so rightfully proud of them. It is truly a miracle; truly overwhelming that after all these years he is finally coming home, and on his Birthday. It is sad that his immediate family did not know he had been identified while they were living. But, I believe they do know now. A huge Thank You to All, who have worked so hard to make sure that October 10th happens, with all possible honors shown this 20 year old Sailor, and that all possible love and respect is granted to his family. —-Carleta (Rauer) Barron.
Thank for for your service and sacrifice. Welcome home.
Thank you for your service Mr. Head, we are glad that you are finally coming back home to Linn Co. Missouri, you and the other WW-ll veterans are now known as The Greatest Generation a much deserved monicker. Rest In Peace Sailor.
Harold was the brother of my great grandfather Troy Head. I did not get the honor of knowing either man as I wasn’t born till after the demise of both men. Knowing what we know about Harold, I am both honored and saddened. Im honored that he gave his life for his country, and saddened at the loss of his life. Our family is honored ! there are no words to describe the feelings that I am feeling right now. We will be there when they lay you to rest…
Thank you, Harold, for your service to our country! It is because of people like you that Americans enjoy the freedoms we have! As a grateful country and respectful people, we are happy that you can finally be laid to rest! Rest In Peace, Harold Lloyd Head!!!
Thank you for your service great-great Uncle Harold. I heard of you and your sacrifice all growing up. Your memory is not lost.
So happy that the Head Family will finally have true closure. On behalf of a grateful generation and nation, we thank you for your service and sacrifice. Thoughts and prayers to those family members, friends and shipmates.
On Wednesday, October 10, 2018, in the morning hours and approximate 112 miles from Laclede, Linn Co., Missouri, a formal funeral procession left the Meyer Funeral Chapel in Parkville, Missouri to drive to Laclede to bring WW II Navy Seaman (S2c) Harold Lloyd Head to his final resting place, allowing his family to finally experienced “true closure.” What a memorable day it was.
The day was quite chilly, damp and overcast but that did not seem to hinder large numbers of patriotic and caring individuals of all ages, even some from out of state, from being there to witness a most formal, dignified and yes, emotional military service.
People from all over Linn Co. (and surrounding counties, too) participated in one way or another to assist the citizens of Laclede for this historic occasion and at the end of this day, it would have been hard to find a dry-eye anywhere and this included not only women, but also many men. Some area schools even bused in a number of their students so they could witness this momentous ceremony.
A (non-military) gentleman from Little York, Illinois, graciously supplied the over 1,100 flags that were placed all along MO Hwy 5 going into Laclede and throughout the town where the funeral procession traveled including, passing by the General John J. Pershing Poppy Garden, his statue, his boyhood home and then, past Harold Lloyd’s boyhood home on Olive Street before coming to rest at the memorial cemetery.
The family members of Harold Lloyd Head, Meyer Funeral Chapel, Inc, the U.S. Navy, the city of Laclede and the woman who had her “Welcome Home Harold Lloyd Head” poster hanging from her front yard fence, to the people all along U.S. Highway 36 who came out with their flags and saluted the convoy (this by the way, included one lone elderly lady standing along the highway, waving her flag) and to so many others; you all helped make his “coming home” a day to forever remember.
I was fortunate enough to be in Cameron, MO during the procession along Hwy 36. As a retired U.S. Army soldier now living in Colorado, it was an honor to stand and salute Seaman Head and his family for his service and sacrifice. My mom was also with me from Lawson, MO and she was full of tears. So glad the family was able to achieve this closure and especially the honor they received from veterans, strangers, and the Missouri residents. God Bless