It's DEC 7th

[Sierratim]

December 7th, 1941, 7:55AM Hawaii time. The attack on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii has begun. The United States would declare war against Japan and then against all the Axis powers shortly there after.

Within days my future father, like all of his brothers and friends, were in line to volunteer for whatever armed services would have them. They all fought, some, like my future father nearly mortally wounded. Amazingly, all from this large family came home to raise future families, like me, my wife, and our families. Thank you is not enough.

Though the losses were extreme, I have read that the Japanese attack made several mistakes; fuel depots were not destroyed, air craft carrier groups were still out to sea, and it was a Sunday morning with thousands of seamen onshore with their families. So, this left the Pacific Fleet with fuel, a protective sea force, and a trained and highly motivated force of seamen eager to serve. Less than 6 months later the Battle of Midway to the NW of the Hawaiian Islands would prove these elements decisive.

Our mountain communities are small, but rich in history. Today Grass Valley, CA celebrates one of two remaining survivors of the sinking of the battleship USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. At 99 years old, Louis Conter is proud to say that not only did he survive the sinking of the Arizona but went on to fight as a VP-11 Black Cat pilot to aid in the rescue of 219 Australian Coastwatchers off New Guinea. He fought on to be shot down off New Guinea and after being rescued that day to attack the Japanese fleet the next.

The USS Arizona remains at the bottom of Pearl Harbor with most of its crewmen entombed on board.

My future father went on to land during D-day at Pointe du Hoc as a US Army Ranger.

I have no words to say how grateful I and my children are for the generation before us.

I know it's more then a little early, but Merry Christmas.

 

[J.R.]

Most years December 7 is a topic in the news. This year it's been noticeably absent. I appreciate your post.

My Great Grandfather served in WWI, I knew him very well. He was hit with mustard gas and suffered the rest of his life. WWII, one of my Grandfathers was killed in a tank at the battle of the bulge and my other Grandfather served in the European theater on the crew of a B17. He survived. My Father joined the Navy in the late 40's and served in Korea. Brave men, one and all. Gone but not forgotten.

Everyday of my life I see my father's flag that draped his coffin and my grandfather's purple heart he received from the battle of the bulge. 2020 has been a kind of world war against an insidious enemy. Some of our leaders have not fought with the honor that their fathers, mothers and grandparents did. At the beginning of the pandemic in March, I put a sign in my yard that reads 'God Bless America'. Nothing political intended, but some took it that way.

We need to stand together. Lest we forget. Merry Christmas, happy holidays to all!

 

[john peck]

Yes, we do need to stand together,.....But there appears to be a concerted effort by a certain party to rip this country apart.

 

[indianajo]

My father & his older brother saw there was a problem with Adolf Hitler in fall 1940, during the battle of Britain. They took a celebratory trip in a new Chevrolet out west to all the famous national parks, came back home to WVa, sold the car & enlisted in the Army. Congress didn't see any problem until the day that will live in Infamy. Dec 7 1941 my father was a trained airport tower radio operator for the Air Corps, his brother was a trained supply specialist. My father served in Guatamala at a refueling base for fighters making the Brazil-Azores hop. Fighters started flying Labrador-Greenland, so he was transferred to Battle Creek MI to manage the tower crew at the airport there that served the Kellogg clinic/rehab. At Shepherd Field during training my father volunteered to be a glider pilot. At 124 lb, 66 inches and with 20/400 vision, his Co Commander laughed at him and denied the request. The only thing big about my father was his Otis score.
His older brother carried a rifle during the Battle of the Bulge when the headquarters GIs were sent out into the snow. His younger brother was a Army Infantry Lieutenant during the Battle of the Bulge. An older brother, a postman, was shift supervisor at the Navy Pacific theater postal sorting facility, eventually in Kwajalein. All 4 brothers survived uninjured.