In memory: 7 Dec 1941

Indeed Jacques. Thanks for posting.

To the memory of all who were lost, and all those that followed seeing to its end.

Jedi

 

Jacques and Jedi:

Thanks for the posts and the sentiments expressed. I am just a few miles away from Pearl Harbor and just a few hours away from December 7.

Of course, the main action was at Pearl Harbor and battleship row, but attacks were made all over the island. There was a small commemoration yesterday at Ewa Field. It was a small airstrip manned by US Marines. The first wave of Zeros got most of the planes parked there and a second wave strafed the Marines that were fighting the fires of the burning airplanes.

The man that owned the property where my shop is and was my landlord was in the Army Air Corps and stationed on Ford Island during the interwar years. He was actually on the airfield and saw Amelia Earhart ground loop her Lockheed there. He was out of the Army and working in maintenance for Inter-Island Airways by the time December 1941 rolled around. He saw the attack from his home and rushed to the airport in his L-29 Cord. Life had changed. Long hours followed patching up the damaged DC-3's.

I have posted this picture before, but it seems fitting here again. It is a marker at Punchbowl, The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Thanks for posting Larry. A good reminder for all....

Jedi

 

Wonderful post.
A time to remember.

President Roosevelt's declaration of war to the joint session of Congress:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufoUtoQLGQY&feature=related

 

Thanks for reminding us never to forget. For all the destruction done by the attackers, they missed the biggest prize of all - the U.S.S. Enterprise. The famous carrier was spared because it ran into a sudden squall a few hundred miles away, delaying its return to Pearl. For the months after the attack - actually nearly a year, it was almost the only significant remaining weapon in the Pacific Fleet. It went on to victory at Midway and numerous other campaigns, and its near invincibility became legend. Some people believe it was merely a twist of fate. I prefer to think the storm and the delay it caused was the hand of God.

 

I know that I have posted this before but it is still with me vivid as ever. I was at a professional football game at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins. They stopped the game and announced the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The first sound that came from a stunned and silent attendance was, " Where the hell is Pearl Harbor!" Some thought that it was in California, others said Alaska, so it was obvious that the average citizen in this country didn't know squat about geography or the world outside of the United States. That changed in a big hurry and I, at age 15, saw the entire nation become an angry and totally cohesive and driven war machine. Every family and citizen was at war. You couldn't go anywhere including the remotest rock in the west without being touched by it. I saw this country at its worst during the depression and I saw it at its best during the war. I hate to say it but I am seeing it slipping downward in so many ways now and it is a bit painful.
I have one or two friends left who were alive on Dec. 7th 1941. My brother and I are all that's left of a large family that contributed much effort and bodies to the war. I get very angry now when I mention this date to some of the younger set and they have no idea of what it means or what happened then. Understandably, few can imagine the total immersion into the war effort and the marvelous coordinated response that this country assembled to defeat three well armed and dedicated rogue nations in just three and a half years. Again, I'm proud to have been a miniscule part of it.

 

I always remember December 7th, of course, because it happens to be my birthday. (No, later than 1941.)

But as a modeler and historian, I also remember it because of its significance. In a way, it was the day that this nation ended a period of blissful innocence and was dragged into the modern world. Arguably the USA has never been quite the same since then.

If you have a copy of the DVD of "Tora! Tora! Tora!", this would be a good day to take it out and watch it again.....

 

69 years ago today Dad was a Midshipman and happened to be at Mare Island. Within 2 days he was informed he was now a seaman in the regular Navy and was on a Destroyer Tender headed to Pearl.
His brother was in exactly the same position. Neither got to finish school and get a commission until after it was all over. Their 3rd brother joined the Navy too.

Mom lied about her age and joined the Navy, her brother joined and became a carrier pilot. Thats what people did.


Different world now.

 

You are correct, Brian, everybody volunteered in many ways and those who were not there and swept up in it have no way of knowing how much of a massive effort was so quickly and effectively put together. All the men over (and some under) the age of 18 were gone and those who were left, the green kids, the grey old men, and the women, took over to keep the country going. I joined up at 17 but before that I was a life guard at huge and crowded beach on Longboat Key and scared shirtless most of the time. I was the only " man" left at home and had to learn a lot of things damn fast. It was a scene that we will never witness again but I have to say, I saw the greatest air show of all time.

 

Amen to that,

Here are some pics from my phone that still show the bullet holes in the barracks where many men died who were sleeping when it was straffed! I make it a point to stop by there everytime i go to the Officers Club on Hickam.

Today my computer tech commented "that was a long time ago, when was that? 1946? Can you believe the ingorance some of our Americans have? It blew me away that he did not now what day it was today when i asked him.

Ahhh well, I guess i am a right wing radical extremist for not forgetting!

Cheers
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

My first grand-daughter was born on December 7, 2007 and whenever she has a birthday, I think of Pearl Harbor. I wasn't even born then.

 

Talk about weird dates, my wife was born Dec 7, and her brother was born 09/11!
Gary Bobileff

 

Lets not also forget the MILLIONS of Soviet and Chinese civilians and soldiers who bore the brunt of the war untill mid 1944. No offence, but there is no comparing the sacrifice the people had to do.

Half a million dead in St-Pete's alone from hunger. US had to ration gasoline and tires a bit. Casinos were still built. Coca cola and ice cream still manufactured.

So I think these dates need to be put in prespective.

 

It sounds like you really need a new place to hang out.


This isn't it.

 

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=310753

 

I was born on Dec 7 as well. Always reminds me of Pearl Harbor as well.

 

I know. Another troll super loser.

How did this flake get this many posts without being banned?