December 7 - Remembering Pearl Harbor Day Thread 🇺🇸

[austingirl]

I imagine that memorial is very moving.

[musiclady]

Thanks for this thread, @Freya .

We visited the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial 2 years ago and one of the Pearl Harbor survivors was there. (He was charming!)  I heard that none of the survivors (5 of them left?) was able to get to the Memorial service this year.

We were able to go into the Memorial and stand atop the sunken ship.

It was one of the most moving experiences I have ever had.

We will NOT forget!

[Cyber Liberty]

I imagine that memorial is very moving.

Yes it is.  As you walk into the memorial, there is a big AZ State Flag.  I took my son there, and it didn't really hit him about the significance of the place until he saw that flag.  Our flag.  I told him, "See all these people here?  I'll wager you are the only native-born Arizonian here.  Be proud of our Battleship, and those brave souls listed on that wall."  Two thousand (or so) names are on that wall.

I can tell you more if you like.

[berdie]

Thank you for the thread @Freya .

My Dad was a WWII vet and we always remembered the day...and D-Day.  An uncle died at Anzio. The other two fought in both Europe and the Pacific.

Sadly, I fear that as these folks pass away so will the knowledge.

[Gefn]

Thank you for the thread @Freya .

My Dad was a WWII vet and we always remembered the day...and D-Day.  An uncle died at Anzio. The other two fought in both Europe and the Pacific.

Sadly, I fear that as these folks pass away so will the knowledge.

Thank you @berdie for your families service

[berdie]

Thank you @berdie for your families service

Thank you @Freya for being such a kind person.

[Bigun]

I imagine that memorial is very moving.

v


@austingirl

It definitely is, but the memorial for the Submariners is the one that had me crying like a baby.

[bigheadfred]

Sorry...

[NavyCanDo]

My dad was on the battleship  USS Mississippi, which was also the first word us kids learned to spell, taught by him of course. He was proud of that ole girl, which had a gallant WWII battle history. Hit by kamakazies twice. The ship anchored in Tokyo Bay during the surrender.

It was during one of the trips to Bremerton Shipyard for repairs after one of these attackes where he met my mom.

[verga]

@verga my dad refused to talk to me or to anyone about what he experienced in Germany during the war. I have lots of stories about basic training but none about the war other than he was a Sergeant and a medic.

It was like what happened in Germany stayed in Germany. I really regret it because it was history but he was adamant about not talking about it.

I have his Eisenhower jacket in my apartment and his medals and dog tags. I miss him. I should visit him today but by the time I get there it will be dark. I guess I can go Sunday, it’s not like he’ll know I’m there. And he’s in my heart.

Please3 thank him for his service from my wife and I. I know he won't know it, but still they all deserve our thanks.

[verga]

My Dad was a door-opener too.  Couple stories I heard weren't nice.  Iwo Jima, Tinian, Okinawa, etc.

That was a job that took Iron balls. It took two hands to unlatch that bastard, and until you could swing your hand around to grab the .30 cal, you were a sitting duck.

[NavyCanDo]

It was an expensive and hectic day trip but we took a flight from Maui to Pearl so my 16 year old could see the memorial. The winds were too high that day so the boats could only run along side the Arizona and not land on the memorial itself for safety reasons. Too bad, my son really wanted to see it.

The wind and waves really wasn't that bad.  I experienced dozens of motor launches with a couple of dozen drunk sailors in waves far worse and in the pitch black night. We made it.