Infamy

[aephilli822]

Lest we forget

[BeeMan]

December 7th, 1941.

Thank you, to all who sacrificed then and to those who remember now.

[osteodoc08]

I was sitting in my meeting at 7am thinking about this. How it started as a normal day for all of our service men and women that day. A beautiful morning by all accounts that turned into a hellish nightmare. May we never forget.

[MUSTANG]

Not a multiple of 10 or 50 so seems to be little coverage on the press. Most of those in the WWII Generation have departed this world so maybe that is why remembering Dec 7th is diminishing. As a means of bringing it back for us on this Board here are the Casualty numbers from that terrible day:

US Deaths:
Navy 2008
Marines 109
Soldiers 218
Civilians 68

US Wounded:
Navy 710
Marines 69
Soldiers 364
Civilians 103

Japanese Losses:
55

May they rest in peace; and I pray that the United States Citizens see a resurgence of History being taught, and once again the sacrifices of our forebearers be recognized by the majority of our Citizens.

[mold maker]

I remember as a 5th grader writing what I thought was an extensive report on the event. In retrospect, it was wanting for many facts but was through enough to get an A+ grade.
The list of WWII living Vets is wearing thin and before long they will be a forgotten breed. Even the history books are missing what was once common knowledge.
It's my honor to spot a vet, and thank them for their service by paying for their meal.

[Smoke4320]

Mold Maker that's a great gesture ..
a few years ago I was on a trip somewhere stopped at a convenience store for gas and a drink .. walked in and on the
way out ignored a fellow in a wheelchair holding a flower.. Something rung my bell to turn around and say something to the fellow

come to find out he was a WW2 vet selling flowers to raise food money .. we had a nice long conversation, purchased a few flowers and handed him to extra cash .. and thanked him for his service

[Thundarstick]

My Great Uncle was in his second tour when hell broke loose on them at Pearl Harbor. He was off ship with the keys to the ammunition locker in his pocket trying to get back. He wouldn't go back for the 50 year anniversary and I still have the newspaper clipping of our congressman presenting him a token at the county court house. Said he had too many friends there that didn't come home, and I never heard him say Japanese, only GD Japs! It was my honor to be a pal bearer for him when God called him home!

Of course I remember him for taking me quail hunting and he was fisherman above anyone I know to this day!

[woodbutcher]

Hi Smoke.Those were Poppies.And they were sold on"Poppy Day".Helped my father to sell many of them.Google"Poppy Day".
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[bedbugbilly]

We used to have a good customer who was a Navy vet and a "Pearl Harbor Survivor". A very nice and quiet gentleman, I talked with him several times about it but he could never get through a conversation about it without the tears flowing. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk about it as he felt that by telling others about it, he was paying tribute to his fellow sailors who didn't survive. IIRC, when he passed, he was cremated and his ashes taken to Pearl Harbor for internment. I knew his wife and she told me several years after he had passed that very few weeks ever went by in they married life that he didn't wake her up with his nightmares. Unfortunately today, fewer and fewer remember and it is something that should not ever be forgotten as it is a lesson for this country to be prepared for anything. Those of that generation certainly earned the title of "The Greatest Generation". May God bless those who sacrificed and who are still sacrificing.

[mold maker]

What is being promoted and taught in our schools is only what profits someone. My Dad always said, "Follow the money and you'll find the source at the end of the trail". You'd be surprised to find how many don't know the signifncance of the date 9 11, and allmost all school aged lived through it.

[AllanD]

I remember as a 5th grader writing what I thought was an extensive report on the event. In retrospect, it was wanting for many facts but was through enough to get an A+ grade.
The list of WWII living Vets is wearing thin and before long they will be a forgotten breed. Even the history books are missing what was once common knowledge.
It's my honor to spot a vet, and thank them for their service by paying for their meal.

In fifth grade I wrote a Report on the mission that "got" Yamamoto, Probably the only "A" I got in junior HS, My teacher in that class was a WW2 Veteran, a WW2 Fighter pilot in the 8th AF who flew P38s before his unit transitioned to P47's and reacted well to my comment that it was the ONE AND ONLY time the P38 had been used for it's original Designed purpose as a "long range Interceptor".

One of my Neighbors who recently passed away was a WW2 Naval Aviator who flew Douglas Dauntless Dive bombers. He was In the service (naval reserve) before the war
and was one of the SPD pilots that Flew out of Henderson Field, Guadalcanal as part of the Cactus Air Force, and liked my calling Aircraft carriers "Bomb Magnets" as it was a term
he claimed to have not heard before. His name was Ed Brown.

He was constantly Surprised when He would Mention a certain Event And I would immediately Mention the correct Date (anyone Remember what happened on July 6th 1942? or August 8th 1942?)
Or he name of the operation (I have a memory for such things) he would mention an Island or part of one (example Lunga Point) and he didn't need to explain to me so he could move on with the story.
I honestly wish I had recorded as much as a quarter of the stories he told to me.

[mold maker]

It is now up to you to record in writing, the experiences he relayed to you. It will be a way to honor him and pass along what freedom really cost. History books are now written by folks who only read scholars tales which often follow an agenda instead of facts.

[10-x]

The P- 38 shot down the most enemy A/C in WWII. Over looked US fighter.

[Thumbcocker]

There is a movie called "The Imperial Japanese Empire". It has subtitles but the beginning lays out the Japanese reasoning and logic for the war and the attack. Worth looking at if you can find it.