The wrecked destroyers USS Downes (DD-375) and USS Cassin (DD-372) in Drydock One at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, soon after the end of the Japanese air attack. Cassin has capsized against Downes.
USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) is astern, occupying the rest of the drydock. The torpedo-damaged cruiser USS Helena (CL-50) is in the right distance, beyond the crane. Visible in the center distance is the capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37), with USS Maryland (BB-46) alongside. Smoke is from the sunken and burning USS Arizona (BB-39), out of view behind Pennsylvania. USS California (BB-44) is partially visible at the extreme left.
This image has been attributed to Navy Photographer's Mate Harold Fawcett.
Destroyer USS Shaw exploding after her forward magazine was detonated
USS California sinking
USS West Virginia took two aerial bombs (one dud) and seven torpedo hits; of the seven at least five were from aircraft and one from a midget submarine
As I am writing this it is the Saturday before Labor Day. September first. We are trying to spread the word to get everyone to fly their American Flag on September eleventh in memory of the tragedy that took place 9/11/01.
However, you won't be seeing this post until December. December seventh to be exact.
Because 9/11/01 reminds me of 12/7/41.
The day that the American Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was bombed by the Japanese.
My Grandaddy fought in WWII, he lost his only brother in that war then was sent home as the last surviving male member of the family. He flew cargo planes for the US Army Air Corp....perhaps my love of flying and desire to be a (fighter) pilot is genetic.
I remember the sadness and frustration he expressed when we kids couldn't tell him what day Pearl Harbor had been bombed, or the names of the ships lost, or even how many ships, or what impact it had on WWII (The BIG 'un). I remember him saying that the world stopped that day...and when it started moving it was never the same again. I remember wondering what on earth he meant by that. I remember his anger when he went to the VA, that is Veteran's Affairs, hospital for a doctor's visit and found out that his assigned doctor was "a damn Jap!!" This wasn't a man given to fits of anger, but boy he got hot telling me about THAT! I remember wondering what the big deal was.
Then came 9/11/01 and I understood.
I understood the sadness and frustration when the people around me forgot to take note of that day. I remember how the world stopped, how my husband kept saying over and over that nothing will ever be the same again and I understood exactly what he meant. I understood the anger at any member of a specific group of people who were responsible for so much unprovoked bloodshed. I understood exactly what the big deal was.
In light of this understanding, I will never again forget 12/7/41. What it cost our countrymen and how it changed the world.
Do you have an American Flag?
Do you fly it at half-mast on Pearl Harbor Day?
YOU SHOULD!
6 comments:
My Daddy was a Navy Seabee and helped rebuild Pearl Harbor before he was sent to Okinawa to build air strips and military bases and barracks.
May we never forget.
I missed you, but figured you were just busy sewing and crafting for Christmas until I read Subvet's memo for you.
Love and hugs,
Diane
Thank you for this reminder. I need to call my Papaw and tell him that I'm thinking about him and his fellow Navy men.
Yes, we fly our flag every day...Papaw gets onto me b/c I don't take it down in bad weather, bad Pinky, bad!
actually there's no need to take it down...but it will wear out faster.
My flag usually flies 24/7, but it's too heavy for the holder on the side of my vinyl-siding house, and was pulling away. I had to take it down for now, until I can get a new one.
But I understand--9/11 is the 12/7 of a new generation. It's sad, but inevitable, that our lives be punctuated with "I remember where I was when.... events": The Challenger, 9/11, Kennedy's assasination, etc.
Around here we remember Pearl Harbor Day for another reason: it was the birthdate of my cousin's son--who died suddenly and unexplainedly at the age of 24.
I pray that our nation NEVER forgets this...ever.
Thanks for the post.
Thanks for the post, especially the pictures that bring it to life. I had seen that top picture before, but it has more meaning to me now that my boat is IN that drydock and I go to work there everyday.
All the flags I saw around Pearl Harbor on Dec 7th were at half mast.
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