Smoke and flame are seen as the magazine explodes on the destroyer USS Shaw during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in this Dec. 7, 1941, file photo. (AP Photo/File) The battleship USS Arizona belches smoke as it topples over into the sea during a Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in this Dec. 7, 1941 file photo. (AP Photo/FILE) The sun sets behind the USS Arizona Memorial, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2001, at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu. The 60th anniversary of the Dec. 7, 1941 sneak attack by the Japanese is on Friday. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
I had a Geometry teacher in High School that was in Pearl Harbor. I remember he'd pace up and down the ailses and then snap is heels together military style...he was a bit senile, but nonetheless a nice man. December 7th, there would no school work, since the old man would bring his scrap books and he'd talk about it and tell us stories of being up to his waist in water and bodies. Props to you old man...
My grandfather was on a Pacific Fleet aircraft carrier at the time. It was supposed to be at Pearl Harbor, according to Japanese plans. I am lucky it wasn't, and we all are!
My grandfather was sent home, I believe in 1943 or 1944 when my great grandmother had complications from a stillbirth (she survived to a ripe age where she spit tobacco into a sanka can for my benefit). His ship was sank and most everyone lost. I'll have to ask my grandmother the ship's name...
I had a great uncle who was a captain of some cruiser... he actually survived Pearl Harbor and didn't even have any significant injuries. Years, later, though, after he retired... they found some structural damage in his leg that they think might have come from the attack. He always complained that it wasn't fair to have a war injury that he hadn't been able to boast about for decades!
Never forget this day !!! My Grandfather was in the European theater, and was on Omaha beach at D-Day. He never told any of my family about his war time experiences until one Christmas I asked him what it was like. The family sat around the table for 5 hours while he and I talked, no one said a word except him and me, and it was mesmorizing. It was one of the best experiences of my llife. Thanks to all the people who fought in this war so that we could be free !!! And a special thanks to my grandpa, the only HERO, I have ever known. DaDakota
You want to hear something weird? My wife and I just rented the movie Pearl Harbor and got around to watching it last night. I know, I know... it was sappy, but weird timing, no? Some facts about the attack: Approximately 1,200 seamen died on and are still aboard the Arizona. Twenty-one ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet were sunk or damaged: the battleships USS Arizona (BB-39), USS California (BB-44), USS Maryland (BB-46), USS Nevada (BB-36), USS Oklahoma (BB-37), USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), USS Tennessee (BB-43) and USS West Virginia (BB-48); cruisers USS Helena (CL-50), USS Honolulu (CL-48) and USS Raleigh (CL-7); the destroyers USS Cassin (DD-372), USS Downes (DD-375), USS Helm (DD-388) and USS Shaw (DD-373); seaplane tender USS Curtiss (AV-4); target ship (ex-battleship) USS Utah (AG-16); repair ship USS Vestal (AR-4); minelayer USS Oglala (CM-4); tug USS Sotoyomo (YT-9); and Floating Drydock Number 2. Aircraft losses were 188 destroyed and 159 damaged, the majority hit before the had a chance to take off. American dead numbered 2,403. That figure included 68 civilians, most of them killed by improperly fused anti-aircraft shells landing in Honolulu. There were 1,178 military and civilian wounded. Info on Pearl Harbor
DaDakota, What wave was he? I understand that the first wave was a death sentence pretty much. No wonder he never talked about it. I heard a story that the Captain of a destroyer who could no longer bare to witness the slaughter pulled his destroyer out of its position to close in on the beach to fire at the bunkers. Apparently an Admiral in charge was commanding him to get back out of range of German artillery, and he flat out ignored him, as he started pounding the hills. They were also discussing an abort of the invasion after the first wave and were going to send in some rescue boats rather than the second wave. Has anyone else heard this story of the destroyer Captian?
He was in the first wave, and a morter shell hit the troop transport as they were coming ashore. He lost a lot of good friends, but he survived. DaDakota
dadakota........ my grandfather was in world war II as well and i've never really talked to him about it.. not sure exactly where he was except that he was in italy for a while....... he doesn't even like the sound of fireworks on the 4th of july and i think it is because of war memories....... who can blame him though........ if i was in something like that i doubt i'd ever want to hear gun fire like sounds again... oh well hopefully i'll have a good conversation about it sometime with him....... but its just tough because i really dont see him much and dont want to bring up bad memories on holidays or other festive occasoins
One of my grandfathers was a tanker in Europe, and was scheduled for the invasion of Japan (thanks to Robert Oppenheimer, Gen. Graves, and Harry Truman for letting me be born). The other grandfather was a communications man in the European theatre, who also served in Korea and Vietnam. One of my grandmothers was in WACS in WWII. They're all dead now. Old age, thank God... crispee: A destroyer or cruiser did close on the beach against orders, can't remember the name of it or its captain... The first wave at Omaha took something like 90% casualties.
My grandfather was in little known and the often overlooked Phillipines which suffered a massive invasion beginning just days after Dec. 7, 1941 stretching into early 1942 when it was eventually overwhelmed. First, the Japanese destroyed all of the B-17 bombers and most of the P-35s and P-40s with aerial assaults leaving very few planes left and many dead/wounded. Then the Japanese took to land and sea assaults until the roughly 10,000 to 20,000 Americans and tens of thousands of Filipinos were forced into retreat to the Bataan peninsula where they hoped to be rescued by American ships. The Filipinos made up a vast majority of the forces and they were not experienced and not very good soldiers. They often were confused, poor fighters, and ran away from battles. They held defensive positions there and withstood many land and sea assaults while suffering from a lack of food and illness until the ~10,000 Americans left were defeated. Then came the infamous Bataan Death March. My grandfather wasn't on that particular march but was on another and ended up, after riding in what were called "hell ships" to Japan, in POW labor camps where they lived for 3-4 years(since the beginning of US involvement in the war until it was over) until they were liberated by the Americans and General Douglas MacArthur. He's actually on video being liberated shaking hands with him...a very surreal moment to watch. He was so thin and lost so much weight. He never really talked about it. The sad part of this is not too many people even know much about what went on in the Phillipines just after Pearl Harbor. It wasn't well publicized at the beginning of the war because it was a defeat and, even today, does not get the attention it deserves. The defeat of Americans did not get much media attention until two years later when the attrocities of the imprisonment of Americans and brutality of the Japanese became known...mainly from escaped prisoners. They never really got a heroes' welcome when they were liberated, either. They didn't consider themselves heroes, anyway. They suffered the most through years of brutality, hunger, and illness. Only roughly 4,000 Americans survived. My grandfather still lives today in Florida with his wife. How he survived is a miracle! God bless him and all who served and serve now. Surf
The Nazis actually generally treated their Western prisoners pretty well. The Japanese, on the other hand, regarded capture/surrender as the ultimate dishonor and treated their prisoners just a little better than the Nazis treated the Jews. Props to your grandpa, Surfguy...
BTW, if anyone ever gets a chance, I'd recommend swinging by the National D-Day Museum in New Orleans. It's a very sobering experience to see all the old-timers walking through that place on the verge of tears and listen to their stories... And it's an excellent museum. Just a thought next time you wake up in New Orleans wondering how you got there...
My father's adoptive father served in WWII in the Pacific. He carried a flamethrower and sealed up caves. Told me stories about living in foxholes and shooting a Japanese soldier that was out scouting in the middle of a rainy night when he looked up and saw the wrapped leggings walking by. Told me he saw 20 year old men lose their hair...or have it go ghostly white..from fear. My wife's grandfather served in the army as well, but he was in Europe. He fought at the Battle of the Bulge...he can only talk about it a little bit before the emotions overcome him. Then he has to stop. Thank God men like this had the courage to defend our freedoms.
Grandfather? My father was in the 66th Armored Infantry Battalion, 12th Armored Division which was under Patton for quite a while. At one point, he was the only man left standing in his squad. Many were injured or killed one night from 'friendly' artillery fire. He has many stories, none of which I heard until I was in my twenties. Many thanks to the Greatest American Generation.
There are not enough words, movies, books, pictures, websites or veterans left to describe WWII. I don't know any veterans but I admire them all. Please tell all of your parents/grandparents that sacrificed that America is forever in their debt. If you can, please contribute to the WWII Memorial Fund Go Visit the WWII D-Day Museum in New Orleans The Historian Stephen Ambrose is a great writer. If you want to know what the men of D-Day and the European Theatre went through read his books.Stephen Ambrose Website Website with pics from D-Day Museum We are losing 1,000 veterans per day, talk to one now before they are all gone. I could watch or read about WWII all day and never get tired of it. It is so amazing to see the way America United and sacrificed. If everyone had to go through what the "Greatest Generation" had to go through, our generation would be greatful for what we have and grateful for what we haven't had to sacrifice. WWII Veteran's Website World War II Links on the Internet Thank You for everything.
