Remember...

[jerrye]

December 7, 1941

[LCHIEN]

December 7, 1941

Been there, very moving.

[gsmittle]

To all of you who risk your lives in our defense, thank you.

I was semi-surprised that most of my students knew what today was...

g.

[LarryG]

Thank you for posting this reminder. I "never" forget to take note of the date being December 7 -- but I did this year.

[Whaler]

I was only 4 years old when the war started so I don't remember a lot. We lived in Oregon at the time and went over to the coast for a two week vacation every year, binoculars were prohibited.

I have only seen the Arizona memorial from a distance but have see the Arizona sitting on the bottom from a USAF helicopter prior to the memorial being built. A sight to bring tears to your eyes.

Our barraks at Hickam AFB HI were covered with metal patches covering the bullet holes. The mess hall was hit with a couple bombs and since it was breakfast time there were a bunch of airmen in there that didn't get out.
They re built the mess hall but the food was terrible.

[Raffi]

Have thought of those men and boys who gave their lives so many years ago all day.

God Bless America.

Raffi

[TB Roye]

I was born in September of 1942 while my dad was in the in the service. My first name was in honor of my Uncle Tom who is a survivor of Pearl Harbor and is 90 years young and still in good shape, loves the Niners and Giants and still goes to the games. My middle name(Bernth) is in honor of my Dad who came from Sweden in the early 30's became a citizen and joined the Army in 1941 at the age of 34, he was injured later in the war and received a medical discharge. He later became commander of the Disabled American Veterans post here in Sacramento. Neither my uncle or dad would ever talk about what they went through. They both came back and went to work and raised families. I can remember the end of the war or short there after when everybody came home and the parades and marching bands. We think my dad suffered from what has become known as "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder", as he had some big problems later in life.

Tom

[Ed62]

I was only 4 years old when the war started so I don't remember a lot.

I was very close to 4 years old, and I don't remember much about the war at all. I do remember the celebrations at the end of the war. That's something I'll never forget.

Ed

[cwsmith]

The date is permanently implanted in all of our family's memories. My Uncle Leonard died on the Oklahoma that morning. I wasn't born until 1944, but I remember Grandpa always had a model of both the Oklahoma sitting on top of the mantle, as interested as we were as boys, we weren't allowed to touch it.

My grandparents had painted sea shells and a couple of pillows that Leonard had sent home. My grandmother could never be in the same room when Grandpa would talk of such things. I think they both carried a great amount of grief, and of course pride in all their boys.

My dad, Uncle Vaughn, Uncle Charlie, Uncle Hank, and many other home town boys all enlisted within a matter of a few weeks. My Dad and Uncle Charlie in the Army (with Dad in the Pacific and Charlie in Europe), Uncle Vaughn in the Navy, and Uncle Hank in the Marines (both in the Pacific). Fortunately, they all came home.

CWS

[SheriffPopeCo]

My Dad was in the Pacific, tech sarge in the army.
I was to young to remember anything (born in 42).
He did bring some things home from the pacific. Me
I spent 20 years in the Navy. 10 years on east coast 10
on west coast. 5 different ships. Yes I remember
Dec 7. Could'nt not!

[Pappy]

It is a day that too few take note of. A lot of good men were lost to the surprise attack.

My oldest brother was a B-17 tail gunner over Germany in the Army Air Corps then finished his career in the Air Force. Like many, he has never liked to talk about his experiences during the war.

[jerrye]

This is special to me as my dad was original crew of BB62, USS New Jersey. She was commissioned in 1943 IIRC and as they made their way into the Pacific Theater they stopped over at Pearl. It always moved him to talk about it. LOML and I were in Honolulu in September in celebration of our 25th anniversary and went to the memorial. Very solemn. While there we also took a seplane tour that went around the lower and eastern side of the island returning across the middle at the same altitude and heading the attacking force took. When we came over Ford Island and the Arizona Memorial, I managed to get a few good pics. If anyone would like a CD of some of those or some of the Memorial I'll be happy to burn one for you. PM me to let me know.