Let us not forget...December 7th, 1941

[SJGUSMC21]

I have no words for this humble remembrance of such a tragic event. But I do remember the times I went to the Arizona Memorial, read the names and watched the movie. I was in tears each time. The last time I went, I heard a man and woman crying behind me, when I turned around it was a very elderly Japanese couple.

Let us never forget.

Pearl Harbor survivor recounts harrowing attack, 80 years later: 'Something I'll never forget'

Jack Holder was stationed at Pearl Harbor December 7th, 1941, and witnessed the Japanese attack on the American naval base.

www.foxnews.com

 

[TonyR]

My dad was born in 1921 and was 18 when he joined the Navy. Growing up in rural north Georgia during The Great Depression, there was only so much he could do other than pick cotton, so he enlisted.

After boot camp he was sent to the Pacific fleet where he spend time on a destroyer, then on to the Panama Canal where he was in a PBY attack squadron; they patrolled the Pacific, looking for submarines and dropping depth charges.

He was not in Pearl on Dec. 7th but was involved in the ensuing battle like most. He also served in the Berlin Airlift. He put in a total of 8 years active and 36 active reserve for a total of 44 years. He retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer, an E9 Aviation Electrician. He was very proud of his service and I, proud of my dad. He passed in 2011, 4 days shy of his 90th birthday. The Greatest Generation lost another member that day.

During my tour of duty I passed through Pearl Harbor a couple of times and visited the hallowed site of the Arizona Memorial there. I recall the feeling of sorrow, of helplessness and to some degree, anger. But the everlasting feeling was and is, pride...I am proud of my father, those that were lost but most of all, my country. She made it through that...she can make it though this.

God Bless America.

 

[SouthernYankee]

My father was a 20 year navy man. Born in 1921. Join the navy at 18. He was in the engine room of the battleship Nevada on dec 7. It was the only battleship to get underway, before running around.

He was also on the aircraft carrier Lexington at the battle of the Coral Sea.
He passed away at 93 yo. He was as tough as the come.

 

[sdkid]

My father was a 20 year navy man. Born in 1921. Join the navy at 18. He was in the engine room of the battleship Nevada on dec 7. It was the only battleship to get underway, before running around.

He was also on the aircraft carrier Lexington at the battle of the Coral Sea.
He passed away at 93 yo. He was as tough as the come.

My dad was also born in '21. He went ashore at Normandy as part of a signal corps group to operate phone lines for command. It was something like D+14, but all through D+30 received an invasion force medal. I remember he said the beach reeked of death. He died in 2007 at 86 years old.

EDIT: After the war, he worked for the phone company for 40 years. Was thinking about this a bit-- my Dad and his work in NorthWestern Bell / AT&T, and Verizon was kind of the original nerd... analog version! LOL. This must be where I got my urge to string network cable through my attic and do things with electronics...

 

[fergenheimer]

@SJGUSMC21 , Thank you, because I did forget. I lowered the flag to half mast yesterday for Bob Dole and thought how he passed two days before Pearl Harbor day. Thanks to everyone else for their memories!
My mom's second husband served in WWII and I remember as a kid asking why he had two belly buttons. We were sitting shirtless trying to avoid the hot Texas son. He pointed to his belly button and said this is the one God gave me. Then he pointed to the other one and said that is the one the Nazi bastard gave him. It was the bullet entry wound.
I missed going to the Arizona memorial did pass close enough while pulling into and out of port to feel our collective sorrow.
We are indeed blessed that a conflict of such a magnitude has been largely avoided for almost 80 years.

 

[sebastiantombs]

The Greatest Generation an understatement.

 

[Gargoile]

The Greatest Generation a an understatement.

So true. all the crap that we are going through today would never happen if this was 30+ years ago. Too many of them alive back then and they were still a force to be reckoned with.

And as the old saying is so true. You don't know what you got till it's gone. If it wasn't for them, we would be typing in German or Japanese now.

 

[sdkid]

...And as the old saying is so true. You don't know what you got till it's gone. If it wasn't for them, we would be typing in German or Japanese now.

... or RUSSIAN

 

[Flintstone61]

My Uncle Jack Rogers was a Field Medic in the landing of Okinawa, he said the Landing craft casualities were terrible. He managed to pull guard duty the first night. He heard a rustling and shot at it. He killed a Cow. Never can be too careful in that kind of situation.

 

[Flintstone61]

Dad was in the US Army, and was between wars, Korea / Vietnam...He was a German interpreter stationed in Germany, and would negotiate with the Farmers for property damage after they ran thru the fields with Tanks etc.... His Uncles, Otto and Erich, died wearing German Uniforms, in WWII one in a Russian POW Gulag, and one trying to surrender to the Americans ( shot by his own officer)

 

[Gargoile]

... or RUSSIAN

I do not think the Russians had the appetite at that time. Plus if the Germans won the war they would have wiped out Russia as well.

 

[JNDATHP]

I visited the USS Arizona memorial of the devastation of the men and ships in Pearl Harbor in 1975 and took from that a deep honorable and commitment of our Navy and military personnel. What an experience.

Let’s all remember the deaths, sacrifices and patriotism. Would we have it now...

 

[SJGUSMC21]

As I do every morning as I am making breakfast for my girls, we talk about what is going on today. I asked them if they remembered what was important about today's date. They didn't remember but they are 9 and 13, so I understand at that age. When I reminded them they did remember us discussing it from last year. What I am very proud of, when at school yesterday, they both were reminded of it, its significance, and a short movie was shown about the attack. Then they had a minute of silence in remembrance as well. I am very proud of our school system. Comal County.

 

[Gargoile]

As I do every morning as I am making breakfast for my girls, we talk about what is going on today. I asked them if they remembered what was important about today's date. They didn't remember but they are 9 and 13, so I understand at that age. When I reminded them they did remember us discussing it from last year. What I am very proud of, when at school yesterday, they both were reminded of it, its significance, and a short movie was shown about the attack. Then they had a minute of silence in remembrance as well. I am very proud of our school system. Comal County.

You have a good school system there sir. Protect it. Most schools only teach history from the civil rights movement to present.

 

[SJGUSMC21]

I fear the good ones are quickly declining. I hope I am wrong.