LA CONNER, Wash. — A piece of history is heading home to Hawaii after an 80-year journey that landed in western Washington.
"I opened up the tube and was like, oh my gosh! What have we here?" Trish Anderson said.
For the past decade, a 10-by-15-inch flag sat in Trish's brother's closet encased in a PVC pipe.
"Very few people have actually touched this flag," said Trish, admiring the blue flag emblazoned with two white stars.
It's a flag that flew in Pearl Harbor prior to the Japanese invasion, eventually rescued from that day that has lived on in infamy for 80 years.
"I mean, this was Admiral Kidd's flag," said Trish. "It's a pretty big deal, to me."
Rear Admiral Isaac Kidd was the highest-ranking officer killed at Pearl Harbor that day. His body was never recovered.
In the ensuing chaos, a flag that regularly flew on his car was recovered from the wreckage and somehow made its way into the hands of Trish's father, USS Arizona survivor Glenn Harvey Lane.
Lane and his wife Beverly raised six children on Whidbey Island. He passed away 10 years ago at the age of 93.
Lane found the flag in an old footlocker and gave it to one of his sons for safekeeping.
"Well, if my dad had died before he had a chance to go through all of his stuff in Oak Harbor before he sold his property it would've ended up in a dumpster," said Trish. "Thank God that didn't happen."
Trish's brother apparently forgot about the keepsake over the years.
One thing he did remember, however, was that his dad wanted the flag returned to Honolulu where his ashes are now interned at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial.
The flag, itself, appears to be stained with the blood of American servicemen.
"Knowing that he wanted this to be back in a museum, it's like the last thing I can do for him," said Trish. "It means a lot."
Trish made sure to have the flag's authenticity verified by an expert and next week it will return home to Hawaii. The flag will be donated to the National Park Service at the foot of the USS Arizona bell on December 7.
The donation will ensure that the flag will be held in perpetuity by the Pearl Harbor National Memorial and preserved for the benefit of current and future generations.
A loving daughter fulfilling one of her father's final wishes as a grateful nation pays its respects.
"I think he would be very proud to think this little flag finally made its way back to Pearl Harbor where it came from and is now in a museum," said Trish. "It's probably the biggest honor of my life, other than all the things I got to do with my dad."