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Pearl Harbor Day

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Walt Davies

Well-known Member
All must remember this date as it is the worst day in the history of the country. dec. 7th 1941 I was only three and don't remember it but did remember some of the war things after that. I was in Pearl Harbor in 1959 and 1960 the Utah was still on the beach on her side. The place still showed signs of the Japanese bombing, you could see the coning tower of the Arizona lying there on the bottom. I will never forget what I saw back then. As a Navy guy it really puts the danger of the service right before your eyes. I almost lost everything in 1960 just off Subic Bay Philipines in a huge Typhoon 200 MPH winds and waves breaking over the bridge that 80 ft above water level. That was the worst 5 days of my life. So remember the Boys who were there on Dec 7th 1941.
Walt Davies
USN 1958 to 1962 MR 2nd Class PETTY OFFICER
 
Walt Davies
USN 1958 to 1962 MR 2nd Class PETTY OFFICER[/quote]
Walt, Thanks for your service, I did my bit for Uncle Sam also. I first saw Pearl as a child and couldn't or didn't understand. I was 6 and we were enroute to join my father in Japan. He was serving with the USAF. I took my R&R from SEA to Hawaii in '68. Visiting Pearl Harbor is about as sobering an experience as one can have. I would advise anyone that can take a vacation, it's well worth considering.
 
It should be a day well remembered! I would have liked to have seen General Todo's face a couple of years later when it dawned on him that they would in fact lose. A lot of good men rose to the challenge that day and fought back as well as a lot who paid with their lives. It showed the rest of the world what we could do when backed into a corner.

Rick
 
I remember it, but I really didn't understand it at the time. It was my 7th birthday. (Yep, today is my 78th).

I remember the final scene in the movie, "Tora, Tora, Tora" when all the the Japanese pilots were celebrating, and a Japanese Admiral, Yamamoto, I believe, said, "I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible rage".
 
Thanks Walt.
Never forget!
If you want to get lost for a while you can read the Action Reports.
These are submitted up the chain of command after a ship, etc has been in action.
Most of them are in first person and describe what the writer saw and did during the action.
Action Reports
 
I call and talk to my brother-in-law every year on this date. He was on Ford Island during during the attack, he was a flight engineer on PBY"s, shot down once, lots of stories on our annual visit to Norfolk. He"s in his 90"s and still lives in the house he bought in "52. Spry old f@rt still takes care of his lawn and garden. dan
 
I always wished we would have had the fighters gassed and armed. Some say it wouldn't have done any good as the zero's would have annihilated them and I am sure the American pilots lacking combat experience would have been vulnerable but I think they could have taken their toll of the torpedo and dive bombers. Welsch , Taylor and a few other fliers gave a good account of themselves. I heard some of the machine gun ammo was 1918 vintage and the belts fell apart in the feed mechanism's. Some of the guards for the ammo storage wouldn't open them without orders, I guess they were persuaded to so at the end of a Springfield or a .45!
 
And you have been a nnalert all your life and voted the current regime on the rest of us.
 
(quoted from post at 23:37:49 12/07/12) Thanks Walt.
Never forget!
If you want to get lost for a while you can read the Action Reports.
These are submitted up the chain of command after a ship, etc has been in action.
Most of them are in first person and describe what the writer saw and did during the action.
Action Reports
Click to expand...

Thank you, Ultradog for the 'action reports' link. My Dad, who's been gone 15 years now, was pharmacists mate on the Pensylvania. He joined the Navy in 1939 and as the Pennsylvania was in drydock, he was on leave Stateside when Dec. 7th occurred. He never quite got over the feeling of guilt of not being there with his shipmates, although he was in most of the major battles in the Pacific, like Tarawa. He very seldom talked of his service days; only before the war-crossing the equator, polywogs and such. You old Navy guys can relate.
 
You can thank old Frank D. Roosevelt for planning that day in history and killing all those men. Him and old George Bush and Dick Cheney would have made a good team.
 
Pretty good recount of events,but I think I remember it was recounted that the belts were so old they were falling apart in the loading machines i.e. loading the ammo into the belts.Lots of calenders dont even list Pearl Harbor day. Bill
 
Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

Was really po'd when the movie "Pearl Harbor" came out a few years back. Thought it would just tell the actual story but with "Titanic" type attention to detail. Instead it turned out to be a real turkey.

Finally got to visit Hawaii and Pearl Harbor in 2004. Sobering to watch the tears of the Arizona but it show what we can recover from as a nation.
 
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