81 years ago today, Pearl Harbor

[was thatguy]

 

[SoCalDave]

Tears of the Soldiers.

 

[was thatguy]

Sorry I didn’t see the other thread.

 

[Vamodsquad]

Hand over heart. Prayers sent.

 

[mobldj]

anyone whos ever visited quickly nows how somber the memorial is.

 

[was thatguy]

anyone whos ever visited quickly nows how somber the memorial is.

I could not enter the room with all the names. It just seemed wrong to go in there.

 

[Go-Fly]

My Uncle was at Pearl Harbor on that day. Him and my auntie were at home getting ready for a picnic because they both had the day off. He ran out of the house and could see the wave of Japanese aircraft. It makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up when you hear a first hand account. China is at war with the US now, they just haven't declared it yet and won't until they ask for our surrender.

 

[timstoy]

The greatest generation god bless their souls. We need to teach this history so we don’t repeat the mistakes of our past.

 

[Ryan00TJ]

 

[2Driver]

Thanks for posting.

Hardly a mention on the news. Funny, my iPhone calendar has listed every so called ”day” or event for every race and denomination in the world, but nothing for today.

 

[jetboatperformance]

Thank you to all who served and sacrificed ! Truly the "Greatest Generation"

 

[Nordie]

Thanks for posting.

Hardly a mention on the news. Funny, my iPhone calendar has listed every so called ”day” or event for every race and denomination in the world, but nothing for today.

You're right I just checked the calendar on my phone. Strange, it used to always be on calendars on the wall.

 

[Not So Fast]

And I was born yesterday Dec 6th 1941, or the day before Pearl Harbor was bombed, no wise cracks please.
But its funny because say, 20-25 years ago people would always say "Oh you were born the day before Peral Harbor" !!!! Nowadays nobody says squat about it, how soon we forget huh?
If you care to read up on it there are those that say if the Japs would have continued to the west coast that there was good chance we could have been defeated, I dont know, what do you think, major flaw in their thinking ???? Because we were caught by rather complete surprise
Anyway, God Bless those Souls, dont forget them please !!!
NSF
PS There as one wise man who made the staTement when it began and it was something like this,"We have awakened a sleeping giant"!!
Spent a few years on this bucket doing a far east tour, looking back it was a great experience!!!

 

[Runs2rch]

Sadly all of these guys that were there and fought that day will no longer be here.

 

[stephenkatsea]

I've mentioned this before. But, on this day it's well worth mentioning again. Our family had a friend who was there that morning. A young Navy Nurse stationed at Pearl Harbor. I can't even imagine what she experienced that day. I've experienced the tiny globules of fuel rising to the surface alongside our ship at first light. It does get your attention. May they Rest In Peace.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Sadly all of these guys that were there and fought that day will no longer be here.

Nor will those with that backbone or fortitude be around to see us get our sorry asses handed to us next time because this country chose to roll over and play dead.

 

[J DUNN]

My grandfather was driving in his truck on that day, here in CA. Heard the news on the radio of the bombing and enlisted in the Marines the next day. Served on Iwo Jima and I have a written, published account of his role on Iwo. He was taken off Iwo in a stretcher after a bunker exploded and a block of concrete hit him in the head. Ended up recovering at Pearl Harbor. He is a good man. Passed away in 1999 when I was 21. When we talked about the War he would always remind me, "There is nothing heroic about war." It was a statement that made you step back and look at the bigger picture of life.

 

[Ducksquasher]

God Bless them all...RIP.

 

[RogerThat99]

I went to Pearl Harbor for the first time this past Summer. It was a moving experience. If you haven't watched it, the Pearl Harbor Minute By Minute series was the best program I have ever seen on Pearl Harbor. I think it is on Netflix.

 

[monkeyswrench]

My Uncle was at Pearl Harbor on that day. Him and my auntie were at home getting ready for a picnic because they both had the day off. He ran out of the house and could see the wave of Japanese aircraft. It makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up when you hear a first hand account. China is at war with the US now, they just haven't declared it yet and won't until they ask for our surrender.

I met a gentleman a few years back. He was on the other side of the island, and was about 10. He watch an American fighter go down just off the beach. The pilot survived.

He said he and his brother dove down to the wreck a few years later. The wings had been peeled and the guns removed. He figured they were probably taken by the military immediately after the wreck, and recycled to get other planes up.

Seeing his eyes telling the story of the day, it's like he was there again or still.

 

[QC22]

We were just at the Arizona Memorial three weeks ago. My second time, and it is a spiritual experience for sure.

 

[2Driver]

My Dad was an Ensign on the hospital ship that was first into Tokyo bay to pick up our POWs.

They picked up General Wainwright ( highest ranking pow) and Pappy Boyington to name a few. He got to watch the surrender on the Missouri as his ship was anchored up against the Missouri.

 

[RogerThat99]

We were just at the Arizona Memorial three weeks ago. My second time, and it is a spiritual experience for sure.

If you didn't go on the USS Missouri, you should next time. There is something satisfying to stand at the spot where the war ended.

 

[SoCalDave]

I have some 3" long teak decking from the USS Missouri from family day at the LB Navel Shipyard in the early 90's. My FIL was a planner there when it was being decommissioned from battle and they were removing the teak decking, hot stamping them and handing them out. My then 7 year old daughter even sat in the captains chair.
My posted picture above was taken by my daughter in 2004 when we were visiting the USS Arizona as the tourist guide explained the oil surfacing is known as "The Tears of the Soldiers". A moving experience for sure and was the favorite part of our vacation.

 

[jetboatperformance]

Nor will those with that backbone or fortitude be around to see us get our sorry asses handed to us next time because this country chose to roll over and play dead.

The love of country ,courage and sure will to fight and die that brought those young Sailors , soldiers and airmen to the fight probably will never exist again !

 

[QC22]

If you didn't go on the USS Missouri, you should next time. There is something satisfying to stand at the spot where the war ended.

Sooooo... side story. The first time I went to the AZ Memorial was in 1998. I took my then young sons and it was the same day that they towed the Missouri across Waikiki on the way to Pearl. I made a big deal out of it. All three of my kids know about the Missouri and when we flew out there were fireworks over Mighty Mo and we saw it from the plane. The bummer about the story is I had a total brain cramp fart embolism and stood at the AZ Memorial on November 18th this year wondering "Hmmm, what Battleship is that?" One of the dumbest moments of my trivia stuffed brain's life. Needless to say I didn't figure it out until we left. Doh!

 

[WhatExit?]

Every year today's date gives me chills knowing that day, a day of infamy, would change the course of human events and this country. God bless everyone who served and lived in America then.

Special day for me as my Uncle Tony was a Pearl Harbor survivor...

Veterans Spotlight: Anthony Anzalone, Pearl Harbor survivor

Anthony Anzalone, 88, of Port St. Lucie, was guarding an ammunition dump on Dec. 7, 1941, when two Japanese Zeroes showed up and started strafing him. He escaped unharmed.

archive.tcpalm.com

 

[gmnhra]

I am privileged have a 100 year old WWII veteran as my Dad. Definitely a generation of Americans that made this country what it is today (although we are losing the vision on a daily basis). Their courage and dedication is frequently under appreciated.

 

[Jonas Grumby]

For anyone in havasu. There is a big chunk of the USS Arizona in city hall for the week on display.

 

[rrrr]

My Dad was an Ensign on the hospital ship that was first into Tokyo bay to pick up our POWs.

They picked up General Wainwright ( highest ranking pow) and Pappy Boyington to name a few. He got to watch the surrender on the Missouri as his ship was anchored up against the Missouri.

General Johnathan Wainwright was left holding the bag on Bataan and later Corregidor when MacArthur abandoned the Philippines in March 1942. MacArthur, a narcissistic prima donna, was carrying $500,000 that the deposed president of the island nation had given him. That's about $10 million in 2022 dollars. It was blatantly illegal for him to accept the cash, but he was never held to account for taking the money.

To my everlasting disgust, even though MacArthur had completely failed to be prepared for the forewarned Japanese attack on the country, Roosevelt awarded him the Medal of Honor.

Wainwright and his troops held out until May 9, before surrendering to the Japanese. He spent the next 3½ years as a POW.

If you watch video of the September 2, 1945 surrender ceremony on the USS Missouri, when MacArthur signs the documents, he turns and gives the first pen he used to a tall, emaciated man in khakis standing behind him. That's General Wainwright.

In case you can't tell, I have nothing but contempt for MacArthur. He was a power hungry buffoon who was so untrustworthy that he wasn't informed of the Manhattan Project and the decision to bomb Hiroshima until after it had occurred. Roosevelt, and later Truman, felt he would try to insert himself into the hierarchy that oversaw the project and reveal the secrets of the bomb to his staff.

Tellingly, Truman fired MacArthur for insubordination during the Korean War and forced his retirement. Harry S Truman didn't take crap from anybody.

 

[SoCalDave]

My wifes grandfather...nothing could be more true than these words.

 

[rrrr]

My wifes grandfather...nothing could be more true than these words.


View attachment 1178826

You can post this 50 more times and I'll still hit "like" every time I see it.

 

[rivermobster]

I went to Pearl Harbor for the first time this past Summer. It was a moving experience. If you haven't watched it, the Pearl Harbor Minute By Minute series was the best program I have ever seen on Pearl Harbor. I think it is on Netflix.

View attachment 1178718 View attachment 1178719 View attachment 1178720 View attachment 1178721

Watched this show, per your recommendation, tonight.

Great watch.

 

[was thatguy]

General Johnathan Wainwright was left holding the bag on Bataan and later Corregidor when MacArthur abandoned the Philippines in March 1942. MacArthur, a narcissistic prima donna, was carrying $500,000 that the deposed president of the island nation had given him. That's about $10 million in 2022 dollars. It was blatantly illegal for him to accept the cash, but he was never held to account for taking the money.

To my everlasting disgust, even though MacArthur had completely failed to be prepared for the forewarned Japanese attack on the country, Roosevelt awarded him the Medal of Honor.

Wainwright and his troops held out until May 9, before surrendering to the Japanese. He spent the next 3½ years as a POW.

If you watch video of the September 2, 1945 surrender ceremony on the USS Missouri, when MacArthur signs the documents, he turns and gives the first pen he used to a tall, emaciated man in khakis standing behind him. That's General Wainwright.

In case you can't tell, I have nothing but contempt for MacArthur. He was a power hungry buffoon who was so untrustworthy that he wasn't informed of the Manhattan Project and the decision to bomb Hiroshima until after it had occurred. Roosevelt, and later Truman, felt he would try to insert himself into the hierarchy that oversaw the project and reveal the secrets of the bomb to his staff.

Tellingly, Truman fired MacArthur for insubordination during the Korean War and forced his retirement. Harry S Truman didn't take crap from anybody.

Especially since, unlike Admiral Kimmel at Pearl, MacArthur had full warning of the impending attack in the Philippines and still did nothing. He lost half his Air Force on the fucking ground in a matter of minutes.
Kimmel was brought up on charges and busted back, lost his stars, and relieved of command, MacArthur got a medal.

 

[Runs2rch]

The Arizona wasn't even supposed to be there at that time. Hit in heavy fog by the Oklahoma in late October forced them to stay in Hawaii to undergo repairs.

So many people's lives changed.

All the Galliant Men is a great first hand account.

Amazon.com: All the Gallant Men: An American Sailor's Firsthand Account of Pearl Harbor: 9780062645791: Stratton, Donald, Gire, Ken: Books

Amazon.com: All the Gallant Men: An American Sailor's Firsthand Account of Pearl Harbor: 9780062645791: Stratton, Donald, Gire, Ken: Books

www.amazon.com

 

[SoCalDave]

The Arizona wasn't even supposed to be there at that time. Hit in heavy fog by the Oklahoma in late October forced them to stay in Hawaii to undergo repairs.

So many people's lives changed.

All the Galliant Men is a great first hand account.

Amazon.com: All the Gallant Men: An American Sailor's Firsthand Account of Pearl Harbor: 9780062645791: Stratton, Donald, Gire, Ken: Books

Amazon.com: All the Gallant Men: An American Sailor's Firsthand Account of Pearl Harbor: 9780062645791: Stratton, Donald, Gire, Ken: Books

www.amazon.com

Great book!

 

[stephenkatsea]

My parents lived in So Central LA at the time. They said the common feeling at the time was to expect a likely West Coast Invasion. They served as block wardens during the frequent black outs. My Dad enlisted in the Navy, served through out the War in the Pacific. Was at the signing of the Armistice in Tokyo Bay, serving on a submarine tender.

 

[Kenboat]

When we visited a few years ago we visited the Aviation Museum of the Pacific. They have a Zero on display that crashed landed on a small private island near Pearl.
The Jap pilot removed the machine guns and armed the Japanese framers working on the island. The farmer swore allegiance to the Emperor and they captured the Americans land owners. Three days or so later the US Army took the island back and freed the Americans. This led the US Government to fear the Japenese Americans would take up arms against the US and decide to send them to the camps.

I guess it was the right thing to do given what happened.
Remember thousands of Germans citizens spent time in camps in WW I .

We used to fight wars to win at all cost, I don't understand today actions.

Thankfully we did have millions of Americans who sacrificed and defended our land.