December 7th, 1941

[Wiscampsin]

Another date we should never forget. My father enlisted in the US Army later that month and served in the Pacific (duration + 6 months). Different times and different ways of fighting a war.

[mmartin_tdc]

Agreed - seems these days everyone wants to forget the past...
If we forget the past, we are destined to make the same mistakes...

[TitanMike]

My Dad enlisted in the Navy after the invasion of Poland. For many it was a foregone conclusion that we'd eventually be at war considering it was already ragjng in both Europe and the "Far East".

He served abord the USS Takanis Bay (CVE-89) and was a Plank Owner. Ship spent much of it's time training pilots for the Pacific theater and then re-patriating troops from Hawaii at war's end.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Wiscampsin

Different times and different ways of fighting a war.

Technology has dictated much of the changes in warfighting and also made it a lot more scary that someday someone will make the wrong decision.

[bob213]

It's sad that so many don't even know what today is. 80 years! My father was on the Tennessee berthed directly in front of the Arizona. A day that changed his life forever.

[W5CRE]

My family has soldiered since the US revolution. My father served in WWII Europe, me in Vietnam era, son is close to retirement and grandson is headed to West Point. We certainly remember Dec. 7th 1941. My respects to all who have served.

[5er_tom]

My father was deft in one ear so he was not eligible to join the military. His brother served and died in the South Pacific on a destroyer that was sunk by the Japs.

I served 3 years during Vietnam but somehow remained stateside.

I remain a flag waving American [emoji631]

[Jean D]

Both my father and father in law served in WW 2. Both have been dead a long time now. Every December 7th my husband and I have the history channel on all day. We were lucky enough to go to Pearl Harbor a few years ago a trip we will always remember.

[NJKris]

Bless them all. Not forgotten by this 56 year old.

[jd4010]

Back in the late 70's we took a family vacation to Hawaii and my father, being an American History teacher in a high school, brought us to Pearl Harbor. I will never forget that visit even though I was just 10 or 11 years of age. The monument to the Arizona and others deeply impacted me. I can remember the Arizona at that time was still leaking fuel so the water surface had that oil gloss on it.

May we never forget the sacrifices of our men and women from the day that will live infamy. And may we be thankful every day for the men and women that served in the past, the present and future for keeping this country still, despite all our chaos going on, the best country in the world.

[flyflingingfool]

Originally Posted by jd4010

Back in the late 70's we took a family vacation to Hawaii and my father, being an American History teacher in a high school, brought us to Pearl Harbor. I will never forget that visit even though I was just 10 or 11 years of age. The monument to the Arizona and others deeply impacted me. I can remember the Arizona at that time was still leaking fuel so the water surface had that oil gloss on it.

May we never forget the sacrifices of our men and women from the day that will live infamy. And may we be thankful every day for the men and women that served in the past, the present and future for keeping this country still, despite all our chaos going on, the best country in the world.

We were there two weeks ago and she is still leaking. They estimate it still holds 100,000 gallons of oil from the original load of over 500,000. Very solemn place to reflect.

[wildmanabe]

That's for Sure. The Americans we lost fighting for our Country, should never be forgotten. My dad 1945-1953 Navy. Myself 74-77 Army.

[StarRyder]

My father was Navy, my brother Navy and me also. On Dec. 8, 1941 the Japanese started bombing the Wake Islands. The valiant defense of Wake Island by US Marines, sailors, soldiers, and civilians became a potent rallying point for Americans in the dark days after Pearl Harbor. Early on December 11, the atoll’s garrison repulsed an attempted amphibious assault, sinking two enemy warships. Most of Wake’s defenders were US Marines, and the commandant of their corps, Three hundred and eighty-nine Marines belonged to the Wake Island Detachment, 1st Defense Battalion. That was only a third of the number needed to properly man the twelve 3-inch antiaircraft guns, six 5-inch seacoast guns, six searchlights, eighteen .50-caliber antiaircraft machine guns, and thirty .30-caliber machine guns that Kimmel sent to defend the atoll. The other 62 Leathernecks belonged to Marine Fighting Squadron (VMF) 211, which brought 12 Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighters to operate from Wake’s pounded coral runways. It was a tuff battle on the 11th The Japanese lost four ships, one submarine, and some 1,000 lives; just over 100 Americans and Guamanians died during their defense of Wake Island. Japan held the atoll throughout World War II and then surrendered it on September 4, 1945 Semper Fi

[Semperfi24]

Pearl Harbor was some place I always wanted to visit. My wife's parents live on the big island, so when we got married (2007) we took our honeymoon to Hawaii. Went to Pearl Harbor. It was awesome, but also very eerie to be there. Every few minutes a little bit of oil (maybe fuel, not sure) would bubble up to the surface of the water. Glad I got to go, but it was a pretty somber experience. Her father was a Marine who ended up in Vietnam, I served in the marines from 2002-2006. Signed up after 9/11 and went to boot camp just over a year after 9/11. Its kind of sad to me to have experienced an America that was the most united it had ever been (post 9/11) deteriorate to the division we have today.

[timfromma]

Of everything I've read in the history books, the most chilling detail was that they could hear tapping coming from inside the hull of the USS Arizona for days after it sunk. Around 900 service men never made it out and remain entombed aboard the ship to this day.