LaRue Medlin
In Memoriam 1955-2017
God bless all of those who lived and died.. We salute you.
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Dec 7, Pearl Harbor Day
- Thread starter LaRue Medlin
- Start date
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TrainTrac
Well-Known Member
Roger that. Rest easy, Shipmates. You are not forgotten. We have the watch.
EddieS'04
In Memoriam 1950-2022
Amen, The Lords blessings to those that survived. And the family members of those lost.
I was Army, but I salute you Navy that now have the watch.
I was Army, but I salute you Navy that now have the watch.
I revisited the USS Arizona Memorial when I was in Hawaii in 2009. I did a little island hopping from the Big Island to Oahu just to see the Arizona again and to see the USS Missouri where the Japanese signed the surrender documents in 1945. It's very fitting to have the two memorials parked next to each other...Where the war started, and where it ended.
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Black tears of sorrow (oil still leaking from the Arizona after 70 years)
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The spot on the deck of USS Missouri where the Japanese signed the surrender documents to end WWII.
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A very moving site that still brings tears to my eyes.
...Rich
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Black tears of sorrow (oil still leaking from the Arizona after 70 years)
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Big Mo[Broken External Image]:
The spot on the deck of USS Missouri where the Japanese signed the surrender documents to end WWII.
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A very moving site that still brings tears to my eyes.
...Rich
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Robert Thomas
Well-Known Member
Had a old guy that volunteered for the place I worked for 4 years. One day at a party he tells me he was a hard hat diver in the Navy at Pearl Harbor on the day of the attack. Had a few stories about the work in the days after. Could have listen to him for days. Gone now. God Bless.
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Travis Stevens
Well-Known Member
my grandfather was in the navy and was stationed in pearl harbor but was moved to another facility 2 days before the harbor was attacked.
Gary DiPietroSr
Well-Known Member
Great pics Richard, I have some of the same. I was fortunate to see it 2 times. A big thank you to all who serve our country. The 7th has another special meaning for me, the day my mom passed.
Bill V
Well-Known Member
Agreed, great pictures Richard, thank you for sharing. However, I feel I owe it to my grandma's Polish-born nursing home roommate to correct you on one thing.
As she would be quick to point out, the war didn't start with Pearl Harbor. That's just when the USA got directly involved. World War II had already been going for over two years at that time, from the time Germany invaded Poland in 1939.
As she would be quick to point out, the war didn't start with Pearl Harbor. That's just when the USA got directly involved. World War II had already been going for over two years at that time, from the time Germany invaded Poland in 1939.
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Bill V,
I agree that the war in Europe started in 1939, and that Japan was an ally of Nazi Germany. The USA remained neutral until December 7th, 1941, when Japan attacked multiple locations in the Pacific, starting with Pearl Harbor to cripple the US fleet so we could not come to the aid of the other Pacific island nations who were also attacked. FDR then declared War against Japan on December 8th, and Germany followed that by declaring War against the US.
Japan had actually declared war on the US at the time of the attack (December 8th in Japan, and December 7th in the USA) which was a day before FDR declared war on Japan.
The war in Europe ended first, but war with Japan continued until atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, eventually forcing the Japanese to surrender. The Japanese and Gen. McArthur signed the instruments of surrender aboard the USS Missouri anchored in Tokyo harbor.
We never count wars and hostilities between other nations as US wars until we get involved with combat troops. So the USS Arizona represents the start of WWII in the eyes of the US, and the USS Missouri represents the end of WWII.... Until the December 7th, 1941, it was just refered to as "The War in Europe", and the US was not involved or taking sides.
I'm sure Poland and the other countries all have different dates for WWII based on when their countries became involved and when the hostilities ended. I suspect that there are many Polish people who feel that they were never liberated until the fall of Communism in 1989?
...Rich
I agree that the war in Europe started in 1939, and that Japan was an ally of Nazi Germany. The USA remained neutral until December 7th, 1941, when Japan attacked multiple locations in the Pacific, starting with Pearl Harbor to cripple the US fleet so we could not come to the aid of the other Pacific island nations who were also attacked. FDR then declared War against Japan on December 8th, and Germany followed that by declaring War against the US.
Japan had actually declared war on the US at the time of the attack (December 8th in Japan, and December 7th in the USA) which was a day before FDR declared war on Japan.
The war in Europe ended first, but war with Japan continued until atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, eventually forcing the Japanese to surrender. The Japanese and Gen. McArthur signed the instruments of surrender aboard the USS Missouri anchored in Tokyo harbor.
We never count wars and hostilities between other nations as US wars until we get involved with combat troops. So the USS Arizona represents the start of WWII in the eyes of the US, and the USS Missouri represents the end of WWII.... Until the December 7th, 1941, it was just refered to as "The War in Europe", and the US was not involved or taking sides.
I'm sure Poland and the other countries all have different dates for WWII based on when their countries became involved and when the hostilities ended. I suspect that there are many Polish people who feel that they were never liberated until the fall of Communism in 1989?
...Rich
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EddieS'04
In Memoriam 1950-2022
My Dad served in the Navy, the last 2yrs of the war.
First assignment was pearl.
After that he was sent to Midway. Worked on sea going tugs. He had some horrific stories of rounding up broke down ships, durring bad storms. Waves that tried to roll the tugs over. Sometimes assigned to mine sweepers. That couldnt have been fun either.
My moms' brother spent his Navy time. Durring and after the war, on mine sweepers.
First assignment was pearl.
After that he was sent to Midway. Worked on sea going tugs. He had some horrific stories of rounding up broke down ships, durring bad storms. Waves that tried to roll the tugs over. Sometimes assigned to mine sweepers. That couldnt have been fun either.
My moms' brother spent his Navy time. Durring and after the war, on mine sweepers.
TrainTrac
Well-Known Member
Eddie,
I can sympathize with your dad with regard to getting tossed around on small ships in bad storms. While serving on my first ship, USS Dixon (AS-37), we were deployed from San Diego to Sitka, AK to meet up with USS Nevada (SSBN-733) for a one-week upkeep period and crew swap. On the way, we stopped at the Trident sub base in Bangor, WA to pick up a tug and take her with us for bringing the sub alongside of us in Sitka. Because the tug couldn't go very fast, we had to keep our speed to about 8 knots so that the tug could stay with us. We got into a horrible storm off of Vancouver Island, and our ship (800' long) was taking rolls upwards of 42 degrees at times. It tossed us around so bad that things that were welded to the deck were breaking loose and flying about. By the time we got past the storm, we had some horrible damage all throughout the ship. I remember looking out at one point and seeing the poor little tug getting tossed all over the place. As bad as the ride was for us, it was nothing compared to the crew of the tug.:throwup:
I can sympathize with your dad with regard to getting tossed around on small ships in bad storms. While serving on my first ship, USS Dixon (AS-37), we were deployed from San Diego to Sitka, AK to meet up with USS Nevada (SSBN-733) for a one-week upkeep period and crew swap. On the way, we stopped at the Trident sub base in Bangor, WA to pick up a tug and take her with us for bringing the sub alongside of us in Sitka. Because the tug couldn't go very fast, we had to keep our speed to about 8 knots so that the tug could stay with us. We got into a horrible storm off of Vancouver Island, and our ship (800' long) was taking rolls upwards of 42 degrees at times. It tossed us around so bad that things that were welded to the deck were breaking loose and flying about. By the time we got past the storm, we had some horrible damage all throughout the ship. I remember looking out at one point and seeing the poor little tug getting tossed all over the place. As bad as the ride was for us, it was nothing compared to the crew of the tug.:throwup:
Kevin Palmer
Well-Known Member
My job affords me some nice luxury every now and then..
I traveled to Hawaii for work, was picked up at the airport in the Police Helicopter. Got a FANTASTIC tour of the islands and the many memorials.
I provided security for two of the Battle Ships back in Desert Storm and got GREAT tours on the ships. Rode the drain (gun powder) elevator from the storage locker up to the cannons. It took like 4 seconds to travel 11 decks. If you are not strapped in, when it stops you won't.. LOL
If you ever get the change to get to the Arizona and what not, you really do need to go. It is a living memorial....
I traveled to Hawaii for work, was picked up at the airport in the Police Helicopter. Got a FANTASTIC tour of the islands and the many memorials.
I provided security for two of the Battle Ships back in Desert Storm and got GREAT tours on the ships. Rode the drain (gun powder) elevator from the storage locker up to the cannons. It took like 4 seconds to travel 11 decks. If you are not strapped in, when it stops you won't.. LOL
If you ever get the change to get to the Arizona and what not, you really do need to go. It is a living memorial....
