December 7, 1941

[tummyman]

Let us never forget that 69 years ago today, our nation was attacked at Pearl Harbor and many brave Americans lost their lives on that day and the days, months, and years thereafter defending our freedom.

[ApS]

We were SO unprepared.

1) The U.S. knew an attack was imminent, but whether it was to be Guam, Alaska, The Philippines or Hawaii, we didn't know.

2) At the time, the U.S. Army was smaller than Portugal's Army.

3) One little known fact is that before the air attack commenced, an enemy submarine was sighted (by a PBY amphibian) and sunk (by the USS Ward).

It was one of 27 submarines poised that morning to torpedo U.S. Navy ships leaving Pearl Harbor!

"We were later told that the lieutenants call caused quite a stir among the Navy personnel back at Pearl, but it wasn't considered important enough to put the fleet on alert.

I do know that our ship was credited with firing the first shot of the Pacific war."

4) One account of an air attack from a USS Ward crew member:

"Our ship was so rusty that the bomb went through the well-deck and out the starboard side of our ship."

5) The USS Ward's last action was in The Philippines when—after dropping off 200 soldiers and U. S. Marines—it was destroyed by enemy aircraft—on December 7, 1944.

That day, the Battleship USS Arizona:


Today:



We are even criticized today, but recovery and retribution was swift and certain!

Thanks Dad, and all "The Greatest Generation".

[tis]

I remember visiting there---- I wish I could explain the feeling I got---it was very strange.

[Lakesrider]

I was there back in Feb. I took the boat out to the Arizona. Very Humbling....To see all of those names on the wall inside the Memorial, and to know that there are still a few of the Veterans that were there that are still being interned there when they pass is amazing to me.
I bought an American Flag that had flown over the USS Arizona Memorial And I flew it this December 7th off my flag pole at home. I took it down at Sunset.
I also have a Flag that flew aboard the USS Missouri. (Mighty Mo) Yes, even though it was not in Pearl Harbor that day.

I thought it sad today that I heard more on the news about John Lennon being killed than I did on the 7th about Pearl Harbor. Oh well, I guess.....

God bless those men and women, and God bless this great country of ours.

Our Flag above the USS Arizona Memorial. May it wave free forever.

[john60ri]

I lived in Honolulu from 1987-1990, and I visited the Memorial. Got into Hawaiian history big time. I want to recommend a Pearl Harbor book by Gordon Prange -- "At Dawn We Slept" -- a minute by minute account of the lead-up to the attack and the attack itself. Fascinating stuff!

[ghfromaltonbay]

I too was there this past February and visited the Arizona memorial as well as the Missouri. The memorial really touched me, it was the highlight of my week stay on Oahu. What is amazing is that there is still oil coming to the surface after nearly 70 years.

[phoenix]

was in Oahu on Tuesday, Always a somber day

[CrawfordCentury]

Originally Posted by Lakesrider

I thought it sad today that I heard more on the news about John Lennon being killed than I did on the 7th about Pearl Harbor. Oh well, I guess.....

[/IMG]

Chalk it up to the media's fascination with anniversaries ending in a '0' or a '5'. Regrading the latter, esp. those in 25 year increments.

69th anniversaries don't make for great news copy. Lennon got offed 30 years ago.

Wait til next year - it'll be the 70th anniversary.

Think about last year - we had the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Earlier this year, I remember there being okay coverage of the 65ths of V-E and V-J Days, as well as some discussions surrounding the 65th anniversaries of the atomic bombings.

[ApS]

Pearl Harbor was just one target on December 7th.

Originally Posted by tis

I remember visiting there---- I wish I could explain the feeling I got---it was very strange.

That feeling could have been the warm sun...combined with the gentle rattling of palm fronds in the breeze. Viewing the ravages of December 7th—with the balmy quiet of the harbor—you probably experienced the confusion of tension and discomfort known as "cognitive-dissonance".

My Dad—most of whose patrol-aircraft squadron was destroyed that day—had a similar experience at the Arizona Memorial in a 1980's visit. While there, a group of Japanese tourists were conducting a ceremony memorializing the Japanese pilots who died in the attack.

Speaking of tension and discomfort, try to empathize with Hawaii tourists who looked out their hotel windows to take in their new view of Waikiki Beach: