KELLER, Texas — It has been 77-years since Navy Fireman 1st Class Albert Utley Kane was killed during World War II. His family spent decades asking questions about the sailor’s remains, as he was listed as unidentified for decades.
Back in August 2018, relatives received a call from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency advising them DNA samples were finally able to link the sailor to his loved ones. Navy Fireman 1st Class Albert Utley Kane is now accounted for. "It was excitement,” said Kane’s niece Kathleen Golden. “It was almost a numbness. It was almost hard to believe.”
Family members said Kane was a theater manager in Fort Worth, before enlisting in the U.S. Navy. He was among sailors on the USS Oklahoma when it was attacked at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Hundreds of crewmen were on the ship as it quickly capsized. Kane was 26-years-old when he died. His family said they’ve anguished over the details for decades.
"My dad may have spoken to my older brother about him. His concern was with his death, because he didn’t know how long he suffered, because that ship turned and then it sunk," Golden explained.
Now, Kane’s family is finally finding comfort, being allowed to bring their loved one’s remains home to North Texas. Community members have been paying their respects to the sailor at Lucas Funeral Home in Keller. A room there is filled with floral arrangements from community members who’ve heard the family’s story, with notes thanking Kane for his service to the country.
Kane’s nieces said they know the families of other service members who continue searching for answers about their own loved ones.
"We didn’t have any hope, and then one day we got that call. There is still hope out there. If you can have it, and keep it, and hold on to it," Golden explained.
A funeral service for Navy Fireman 1st Class Albert U. Kane is scheduled for 9 a.m., December 7, at Lucas Funeral Home 1601 S. Main Street, Keller, Texas. Interment service will take place at Dallas-Fort Worth National cemetery.