Pearl Harbor- forget or remeber?

jeffrey-wimberl

Active Member
The article pretty much says it all.

War isn't a pretty or pleasant thing and is well worth avoiding, believe me, you don't want to go there. There's nothing romantic about it.

Jeffrey Wimberly, a disabled veteran.
Remember, lest we forget.
 

Cannonball

More Trains Than Brains
There was a gentleman interviewed for an article in today's paper who was on the USS Nevada when Pearl harbor was hit. His job durring and after the attack was moving the wounded on stratchers to safe areas of the ship. I think we all forget too easily when it comes to things like this. We wave the flag and have our momments of silence on the days marked on the calender but what about the rest of the time?
 

Jim Krause

Active Member
I was only 7 years old when WWII started so my memories are from a kid's perspective. While going through some of my older brother's things recently, I came across a yellowed newspaper article about his ship being hit by a suicide plane at Okinawa. It was probably exciting to the guys on the ship but in a negative way. Romantic, I doubt it.
 

cidchase

Active Member
My way of remembrance is this: I use 12741 as my supervisory or admin password
on the PLC systems and touch screens at the plants I service. It always keeps me a
reminder, plus, I won't forget the password!!:)

Also, our Anniversary is Dec. 14th. Our wedding was first scheduled for the Saturday
before, until we realized it was Pearl Harbor Day; we thought that not too auspicious
for an anniversary date.:D :D
 

oldtanker

Member
No war is not pretty or glamorus.....my father fought in WWII as a US Army infantryman, lost his leg in the Philippians and stayed on active duty to retire with 31 years service. My father in law is a 22 year Navy vet, I'm a retired disabled vet, 20 years, Army, tanks (thats where the steel on steel comes from, one shot one kill). One son & daughter served in the Air Force, one son in the Army and our youngest son is still in the Navy.

I have no problem remembering.

Rick
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
My dad was drafted into the army in Jan of 1941 for 1 year. He had less than 1 month to go when Pearl Harbor was bombed and needless to say his enlistment was extended. He was finally discharged in 1946. He often said 1941 was the longest year of his life!
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
I remembered today when I saw the date. Each day we lose more men and women who were alive at the time and very few of the service men who were actually there are still with us. Remembering is important for many reasons including acknowledging the sacrifice of veterans, the need to be informed about international relations, and to remind ourselves about the hard questions of how would we react...what is improtant to us...what would we do if necessary... how can we create a world in which such events will not occur again...
 

zedob

Member
It's a shame that a whole lot of people don't have a clue as to what even happened. I heard a reporter say that when he asked some young lady what she knew about Pearl Harbor, she thought it was in Missouri. No wonder some people think we can just talk our way out of this present situation.

I have to give all vets a salute. I never served, but my father did as a fighter pilot and do to that I ended up around a lot of vets. I have the utmost respect for all of you. Thank you!
 

papasmurf37

New Member
Was 4 1/2 when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Learned about it when I was older. But clearly remember my oldest brother coming home on leave in 1945. He was to ship to Germany. When they surrendered, his unit was re-scheduled for the big attack on Japanese mainland. On actual day he was to board ship, second Bomb was dropped and his deployment cancelled; Praise the Lord[GOD rest his soul; he passed away last Fall, just after his 90th birthday!].
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.....Old Tom[USAF grease monkey; 8th AF Europe; Cold War]
P.S. PLEASE PRAY for one of my sons who leaves for the Lions' Den in spring.
 

ScottyB

Member
I'm only 31, but I was fortunate enough to have parents who instilled in me the honor and respect that is deserved by all our heros in uniform, both past and present. It is frustrating that so many in my own generation do not understand the sacrafice that so many made for all of us; particularly those at Pearl Harbor who, that morning, did not even realize they were at war.

Zedob is right - too many Americans have forgotten, or simply do not understand their own history to realize what is going on with the present situation in the Middle East. It is eerily similar to Europe in the late 1930s.

I often wonder how WWII would have turned out with today's 24 hr news covering every battle, every name, every casualty - over and over and over.

Pearl Harbor and all of WWII taught Americans many lessons....
It is up to my generation not to forget....

We will remember. God Bless them all...

Scott
 

ejen34

Member
I have never served, in 1973 my number was called and due to my college attendence I did not have to go. I remember the words of many of the veterans in my hometown, Freedom is not Free and I take them seriously!
 

nkp174

Active Member
I remembered the day. I'm 23, so I only have second hand knowledge, but it does remain a day of infamy for me. I had the daunting task a few years ago in a US military policy class to argue the position that FDR didn't know the attack was coming (it was actually a very difficult position to defend...the easiest approach is to argue that he knew (and wanted) something was coming, just not necessarily at Pearl).

I can't imagine how awful such an experience was. About a year ago, I visited my Great Uncle Bob's grave in Epinal, France. The first of our family to visit it. It was very sad, but good to see that the military takes good care of the cemetaries. My Grandfather has just started talking about his experiences...he opened concentration camps and all sorts of other things he'd tried to block out for 50+ years.

Thank God for all the veterans and military leaders that have allowed America to continue to exist.
 

Biased turkey

Active Member
kf4jqd said:
My Grandpa Henry joined the Army today. He was a railroad engineer for General Patton.

Andy

So, I'm sure he was one of the brave US soldiers who freed my homecountry ( Belgium ) during the battle of the Bulge.
I want to thank those brave men ( and women )
 

jbaakko

Active Member
I'm too young for that, but I gotta say 9/11 turned me onto the military even more. 4 Years later, and here I am.
 

Herc Driver

Active Member
My stepfather served in WWII with the 101st. Jumped at Normandy, was at the Battle of the Bulge, and like so many other vets - never spoke of what he did, but never forgot either. He had a fit when I decided to join the Air Force because he knew the horrors of war. Still I always admired him as a 17 yr old from the streets of Chicago who lied about his age to get into WWII after Pearl Harbor and volunteered for one of the toughest outfits that served. But I found out in Iraq that there is no romance, just work to be done. You do your job, fly your mission as safely as possible, think about returning home in one piece. But he was right, serving in a war does leave its mark. (For weeks after returning home I couldn't watch video I took flying into Baghdad because it brought back the stress of looking for SAMs and small arms fire.) No, there's no romance...that's for the movies...but every war has a similar thread...common people called to do an uncommon job. The heros serving in Iraq and Afgahnistan now are just like those brave souls that served in WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, and Desert Storm. And as it was before - so it is now. They come from many countries, various walks of life, wear the uniforms of their homeland proudly and serve with unmistakeable pride and determination. Their service is truely heroic and has my utmost admiration.
 
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