If some of this looks familiar…it is. That’s the neat thing about anniversaries. You can recycle them.
The Greatest Generation spent their childhood in the roaring 20′s. As teenagers they weathered the Great Depression of the 30′s. Reaching adulthood in the 40′s looked bright until that fateful Sunday afternoon in early December. Every one from the Greatest Generation remembers where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news, much like those who followed now can tell you where they were and what they were doing when they heard of the Kennedy assassination or 9/11.
Many people had no idea where Pearl Harbor was or that our Naval Fleet was berthed there. Yet upon hearing of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, most Americans were filled with rage and a sense of betrayal because of the sneak attack. The Greatest Generation would have their lives unalterably changed forever.
On December 8, 1941 they listened to their president, Franklin Roosevelt, make the following address to Congress:
To the Congress of the United States of America
Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with the government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.
Over 3,000 lives, both civilian and non-civilian were lost in the attack on Pearl Harbor. America had a decimated navy. The politics of war had kept FDR’s hand off the trigger and had kept us out of the war raging in Europe. All but one member of Congress voted to declare war on Japan and within a week war had been declared on Germany and Italy. The United States was fully at war, from the youngest child to the oldest citizen.
On this day, please give a second of your time to remember those who perished and a second to pay homage to that generation who gave so much. Where would we be today without the Greatest Generation? Soon they will be lost to the ages and the annals of time. Those boys who went off to war are now staring down 90 if they are even still with us. That is a sobering thought.
The infamous 7th. The day that the US stepped up and became a world power.
If the Japanese had only listened to Yamamoto and not attacked.
In honor of the 7th, I think that this hero should be looked at. If you like the story, go vote. The winner gets $10,000.
After serving 27 years in the Army including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, surviving 7 IED’s blasts, Lt Col Kathy Champion came home only to find she had contracted a virus in Iraq that took her eyesight. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, Kathy acquired a guide dog, Angel, from the Paws for Patriots Program of Southeastern Guide Dog School in Florida, and has made it her quest to raise 2 million dollars to help other soldiers either blinded or suffer from PTSD to acquire service dogs. With Angel by her side, Kathy is an unstoppable force. She is a true “sheroe” to all who have served under her and to all who know her.
Vote here:
http://eaglerarelife.com/content/kathy-champion
I found the story at Blackfive.net
The USS Pioneer (MCM-9) was commissioned on Pearl harbor Day in Ingleside Texas in 1993, as a “living tribute” to our veterans who fought at Pearl Harbor. The ship continues to serve and has been all over the planet in support of American interests and the cause of liberty. The Ship’s motto is, “Pioneer for Freedom!”
Every day that the USS Pioneer serves at sea, is a tribute to those brave Americans who fought on that “day of infamy” at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941.
Thank you for adding to this post, Tyler.
Five years after Pearl Harbor the people who planned it were hanging
from gallows.
Over nine years after the horror of 9-11, Osama Bin Ladin and many of his cronies
are still alive and seeking to attack us again.
There was a failure of our national leadership. Invading Iraq may have made sense
AFTER we found and killed the 9-11 culprits. Shame on Bush II, Cheney and the
other neocons. History will not be kind to them.
Supervisor Jenkins gave a very moving brief speak to those who lost their lives in Pearl Harbor as did Corey Stewart. Stewart said he lost a cousin or uncle on the USS Shaw. Good for both for remembering the date that live in infamy and those who were frozen in history from that day on.
I asked my mother after 9/11 what she thought were the main differences in 12/7/41 and 9/11/2001. She said that after Pearl Harbor they knew who to go after. She also said she felt shame that the American people had let an enemy sneak up on them again and that she was glad her father and my father weren’t there to see it. I thought that was such a strange response.
She also said that the Pearl Harbor announcement came in about mid afternoon in Charlottesville and that none of them had any idea how much their lives would be altered on that afternoon.
Very few people are left now who remember the REAL Pearl Harbor Day. Very few comments this year. That sort of makes me sad that we have gotten so far away from something so basic to our nation.
December 7 1941 Pearl Harbor…
The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had c…
My parents remember the surprise and outrage, followed quickly by
a national sense of determination and common sacrifice to win the war.
After 9-11, Bush II suggested we go shopping – that would show them
not to attack Americans!
The suggestion to go shopping was to show an indifference to terrorism and to support an economy that desperately needed support.
However, I do believe that he should have forced Congress to re-examine all the things that they have attached to a Declaration of war, ie. price controls, etc. and asked them to declare or not.
I feel that, after an election, a newly elected or re-elected President should go before Congress and bluntly ask, “Do you want me to continue pressing this war?” Put the responsibility on Congress where it belongs. It is Congress that declares war or elects to stop the war. The President’s job is to execute said war.
I think Bush was suggesting that we go about our ordinary lives and not to be sit around and be afraid. Guilani especially said this to New Yorkers and tried to encourage tourism.
I just think Bush got some real bad advice about Iraq. Afghanistan was an entirely different matter.
A very small percentage of our population has done the heavy lifting
in both Iraq and Afghanistan. I think BushII should have asked us at least to
support a version of the WWII War Bonds to help fund the conflicts.
We have a first rate military that continues to fight and sacrifice
for our nation, but was no national call for action for the rest of us
except to charge! — at the mall with our credit cards.
Rooting out and killing the 9-ll killers has the full support of the American people
and our allies — Iraq has been a costly diversion from that primary mission.
Good suggestion, Big Dog. I personally would have been among the first in line to buy war bonds. We missed a real opportunity in the days after 9/11 when we were truly united in anger and purpose.
Of course nothing prevented ANYONE in Congress from suggesting War Bonds either. But having war bonds would have prevented the naysayers from attacking “Bush’s war” for not being financed.