Pearl Harbor

[Randygh]

Pearl Harbor Day. A day that will live in infamy. God bless those who fought and/or died that Sunday morning.

Was it Yamamoto who said after the attack on Pearl, "I'm afraid we've waken the sleeping dragon?"

[Go Aweigh2452]

"I Fear All We Have Done is Waken a Sleeping Giant..."

Doing lots of talking about Pearl Harbor today...


Did you guys know he attended the Naval War college and his research paper was on a west coast attack of the US? His prof help him with his research and paper. He also visited (at our expense) Detroit (auto factories), Texas & Penn (oil companies), San Diego (fleet), mid west (grain and farming areas) while here in the US?

[SomeSailor]

Only thing he didn't do was take flight lessons while here...

You'd think we'd learn... but we're destined to repeat history I suppose...

[pkrogh]

Oh he learned all right He advised strongly against attacking the US.
But when the orders came down he did his job the best he knew how.
I think if more of the Japanese leadership had the same exposure there
might not have been a Pearl Harbor.

Pete

[Tedster]

If you haven't already been to the Memorial, you need to!

[pkrogh]

I read that this years reunion at the Arizona Memorial could be the last of
the 5 year reunions as they figure no one will be around for the 70th.

Will our kids remember?

Pete

[Go Aweigh2452]

I go to the memorial every visit to Hawaii. This will be my 19th visit. I go on Friday's when the Pearl Harbor Survivors host the incoming crowd and I get to talk to some of them that are long time friends. Best one is Richard Fisk who was on the WV when the AZ was blown up. He got blown off the O4 level into the water into the burning harbor. Swam to shore and helped a bunch of others...

I also take the Star Spangled tour each year. The guy that owns the company is Olaf and he takes us to all the places the japs attacked that day. On the second time I went on that tour, I sat behind the doc, Capt Lewis Haynes, that was on the USS Indianapolis when she was sunk by a sub on the way to Philipines. Of the 900 that went into the water, only about 300 were pulled out 4 days later. He had some awesome stories to tell. One other trip I sat next to Ken Taylor, one of two pilots that took off from an outlying airbase in their P40's to fight the japs that day. He had some stories too. They did not fly in their khakis as depicted in the movie... They, George Welch and Ken were at the battle of the bands Sat night and woke to the attack. Ran to the mess hall and called to find out what was happening. (the Mess hall had the only phone on the outlying field they were at). They took off wearing just their PJ's and dress shirt and I think ken wore his undershirt to fight the japs... they had to fly to a second field to get ammo for their guns too. Very cool guy... He recently passed away. He too will be missed....

[Roel Jansen]

Ironicly ment not to pun.

Thank God they did otherwise I and a lot of other Europeans had to learn Russian instead of English.