Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge "Day that shall live in Infamy"

God Bless America and her technology.



Today is the 66th anniversary of Japan's raid on Pearl Harbor.

Remembering our forebearers.

My Dad and Uncle fought in the Pacific...Dad on ship and my incle in a B-29..............today at work we will fly the Flag and ceremoniously grab a "rice burner" from our parking lot and sacrifice it ! ( I will not ride the Honda today)

My grandfather was a WWI and WWII vet. This a good day to remember all of those who answered the call, both here and abroad.

Amen. God Bless 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.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleagues delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

This morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

George Santayana: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

This past January, I spent 2 weeks on the US Island of Guam. They are by far the most patriotic Americans I have ever met. They still have lingering memories of the Japanese invasion and occupation. I met a woman who, with her family, was forced to dig the Japanese tunnels and afterward watched her family beheaded so that they could not tell the Americans where the tunnels were. She was bayonetted across the throat and left to die alone in the jungle, but she was saved by some of her Chamorro friends.
My dad served in the Airborne. My uncle was a ranger on Omaha Beach. My great uncle was killed at Pearl Harbor.
We try and remember and honor them on days like today.
Here I am with my friend, Joe, who is a "surfer dude" on Guam. He gave me and my wife a personal tour of the Japanese implacements. This gun was forceably dragged up the hills by the locals and the Japanese soldiers. It is so big and the hills so steep, they never took it down after the war. It was a British gun taken in China by the Japanese. This was one of many that fired upon the liberation forces who landed in Guam to free the island from the brutal Japanese occupation.

Here is where the famous Banzai Charge took place. Something like 50,000 troops landed on that beach, but yet some Japanese made it all the way down to the beach during the charge!

I intend to spend part of the day on Combat Flight Sim 2 shooting down Zekes, Bettys Kates and Vals. My Father was in the Merchant Marine delivering goods to North Africa and Murmansk. After VE day, they moved to the Pacific where his ship was torpedoed 2 or 3 times, but they didn't explode. So much for Japanese Quality.
I also had a couple of uncles and a cousin "somewhere in the Pacific". I expect that a good part of my health problems today stem from growing up during rationing and not having a proper diet. I got to see my father maybe 3 times during the war and my mother and aunt worked in a factory making cannon shells. My cousins and I grew up with minimal supervision, it's a wonder we turned out as good as we did. After it was all over, I don't remember as much as a "So Solly Chally" from those blighters even though the US went out of our way to set them up to destroy our industry and ruin our economy.

Today, 66 years after its death, BB-37, USS Oklahoma will be honored when a memorial in her name is christened on Ford Island. The USS Oklahoma had the second highest death toll to the more famous USS Arizona, and is known as the ship that capsized at her moorings after taking 8 torpedo hits. Some may recall that last year I passed along the story of 3 men who were trapped below decks in the Oklahoma when she capsized and survived there entombed for 29 days.

God Bless those who perished on the Oklahoma, most not knowing why or how, and all those who have perished due to man's inhumanity to his fellow man.

Roll Call - BB37

The Okie is visible in Rob's last picture, lying on her side, keel facing the camera.

I was watching an interesting program on the History channel at lunch time today all about the bombing of Pearl harbour.

Interesting statement at the end of the show. According to this program, at the time of the bombing the US had an military about the same size as Yugoslavias, two years later it had the most powerful military in the world and became a world superpower.

Quote:

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Rest in peace WW2 veterans

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Amen to that.

The greatest generation. Amen to that! I used to teach history and I never get over the fact that so many millons willingly volunteered to get shot at, drowned, blown up, etc. God bless them and their heroic sacrifices so that today I can ride an ENGLISH/COMPATRIOT motorcycle in the land of the free.

And the home of the BRAVE!
God Bless America and her veterans.

I was stationed at Dover AFB when this beauty was being restored. I remember the day she took off again, I was on the "launch truck" when the tower cleared her for the active. That was a great day.

I have two grandfathers (both still living) in WWII on in the Pacific with Merrill's Maurauders and one in Europe with Patton's boys.

I wish I knew where my grandfather served, but I know it was in the pacific. He passed away last year, but one of the last stories he told me was how he wasn't allowed into the army (I think...) because of an enlarged heart, so he enlisted into the Navy, and was sent to the pacific, but not for long because some colonel or higher up officer wanted him on his softball team! I wish I knew more details.... I'll have to ask my mom if he has diaries around somewhere. My other grandfather liberated Pilsen Czechoslovakia in WWI. It is a time I will never fully understand, cause I wasn't there, but I try my best to appreciate what everyone went thru then.

I wish I knew more too Benny. My Grandfather didn't talk too much about his experiences in WW2, Korea, or Vietnam (saw combat in all three). I do remember once when I was around 10, I told him that generals never fought, they only staid away from the front. He proceeded to lift his shirt and show me his 3 belly buttons, one natural, two from shrapnel. I then realized he wasn't always a general.

He also commanded the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam and a Corps in Germany in the early to mid 70's. He was retired early when he fought affirmative action for promotion in the Army. Supported by all of his African American Non-Coms, I might add. He served continuously in the US Army from 1938 to around 1975. He died a hero and an alchoholic suffering from severe alzheimers.

Very interesting guy, but you could always tell that he had a tortured soul. A very nice lady who used to help my Grandmother around the house would often say about him, "too much war".

"Being a warrior without a war has its problems."

- The Great Santini