Dec 7th, 1941

[44hunter45]

My mother’s cousin. Elmer Dunham
Uss Arizona.
Some gave all

 

[44hunter45]

My brother's Father in Law was decorated for rescuing sailors from burning water at Ford Island.

 

[Madman]

I've stood over the hull and tomb of the Arizona many times during my navy days pulling into Pearl Harbor, and a couple of times since I was discharged. It is a somber feeling knowing your brothers from the past are entombed in her. I am glad to have been able to see her first hand and honor the men that were lost on that day. May the Lord's peace be among them all.

 

[Dave N]

It's an incredible place to visit. Almost felt wrong to talk out loud once you stepped off of the shuttle boat.

 

[EKYHunter]

Most folks have no idea and probably couldn’t even tell you what Pearl Harbor is or what happened there.

 

[brymoore]

Great uncle started the Pearl Harbor attack in the Army brig for his Saturday night activities.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Great uncle started the Pearl Harbor attack in the Army brig for his Saturday night activities.

He must have been at the bar with my Uncle Bud Lynch.

 

[Caseknife]

My senior class at Thorp High School, all of 16 students sold firewood for our senior trip. We went to Hawaii, that was 1980. One of the neatest things we did while there was to tour Pearl Harbor. Way before it was commercialized, our boat out to the Arizona was a WW2 landing craft. Our guide was a Japanese American that was sitting on a rooftop in Honolulu that infamous Sunday morning watching the attack. He described the whole scene from a first-person account, made the hair stand up on the back of your neck. I will always remember that day, had a very profound effect on a bunch of 18-year-old kids. Visited again about 20 years ago when my stepson was stationed there, too commercialized and didn't have the same effect other than when we were actually over the Arizona, that never changed.

 

[B&CTom]

I've worked with a guy for over 20 years whose father was drafted in 1943, landed at Normandy, saw combat in Central Europe, and was honorably discharged in October of 1945 having been awarded the Purple Heart with 2 oak leaf clusters. He was later awarded the Bronze Star posthumously. One of the kindest, most loving men I've ever met. I can't begin to imagine some of the sacrifices that were made by these soldiers and their families so I could enjoy the privileges I have today.

 

[Scott85]

It was such an honor to spend 3 years living on Ford Island.

 

[Knight.54]

I lived in Honolulu for a brief stint as a youngster. I’ll never forget my father showing me the bullet holes that were still in some of the buildings. And the Arizona…. As moving as standing on the grounds at Devils Den on Gettysburg.

I fear we may be closer to another WW everyday.

 

[Wild Bill]

Highlight of my trip to Hawaii, as many others have mentioned.
Also, my grandpa’s birthday today. Easy one to remember.
97 years old. After the Pearl Harbor attacks, he was drafted into the Army. Both he and my other grandpa were island hopping on their way to the mainland when they dropped the bombs. Potentially saving both their lives.

 

[WildWill]

My grandpa was a young newly married peanut farmer from SE Oklahoma on December 7th 1941. He joined the army days later and left for Hawaii after basic not returning home again for almost 5 years. He fought at saipan, Okinawa, and other islands across the south pacific he'd never heard of.

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."
Isoroku Yamamoto

 

[44hunter45]

My grandpa was a young newly married peanut farmer from SE Oklahoma on December 7th 1941. He joined the army days later and left for Hawaii after basic not returning home again for almost 5 years. He fought at saipan, Okinawa, and other islands across the south pacific he'd never heard of.

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."
Isoroku Yamamoto

God Bless him. Island hopping was a nasty business.

 

[hank4elk]

Mom & 4 sisters went and joined up the week after Pearl.
Dad was already in it as a Midshipman on convoys across the Atlantic. 3 to Mermansk alone.

The Greatest Generation.

 

[Madman]

I had an great uncle who was in the Marines before the war started. He fought on Guadalcanal, was wounded on Guam, and Fought on Iwo Jima. He also fought in Korea from 50-51. He was killed in a car accident in 1952.

Greatest generation for sure!