Lest we forget, today is the day that the Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor and the US entered WWII.
If you know a Vet from that time, let them know we haven't forgotten. My Dad was a Marine and I'm named after my Uncle who died on Palau during the shore landing.
Here's an article with survivor's stories from yesterday's Kitsap Sun:
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/dec/05/each-pearl-harbor-survivor-has-story/

Sadly, to so many of the young people today the events at Pearl Harbor so many years ago mean little.

America, fortunately, still honors Her warriors. Sadly though, much of America has forgotten WHY we fought those wars.

ISO

My grandad was stationed on Samoa when PH was bombed. 1/3rd of his USMC basic class from Camp Pendleton was wiped out on Wake shortly after. That was back when Marines still wore Smokey hats and Tommy helmets.
My dad's stepdad was at Pearl in the infirmary recovering from appendicitis surgery when the bombes started falling. They pulled him out of bed and put him behind the wheel of an Ambulance dodging strafing runs.
Both those guys never, ever pronounce the full word "Japanese."

My step dad was in the Navy at PH at the time of the bombing. Sounded pretty horiffic hearing about the explosions, fire, and smoke.

Years later, after he passed away, my mom married another WWII vet, a marine. He survived two Pacific island landings. Funny story, he attended a class reunion with my mom. Mom went to school in Auburn, and a lot of the farmers in the Auburn and Kent valley were Japanese Americans. He was surprised as he entered the room, said he didn't know if he should duck or just start shooting. He never used the word Japanese either.

It seems like today is losing a lot of meaning with each succeeding generation.

Sg

Maybe it's because I tend to be somewhat connected to current events and history, both, but I haven't noticed anyone not remembering Pearl Harbor, why we fought in WWII, or dishonoring those who fought in WWII, or any other war, either, for that matter.

I have a personal connection to this as my grandfather landed on the beach at Normandy and I've heard some of the nastiest things I've ever heard from someone who was there firsthand. Kinda hard not to appreciate it when you've heard it from someone who was there, and didn't just read about it or see it in "Saving Private Ryan".

Maybe I just tend to run with a well-informed crowd?

Fish on...

Todd

Never met anyone who was at Pearl when the sh!t hit the fan but knew many that fought or served in what followed. My grandpa was a Marine in the Pacific and was at bogenville and some other nasty places. When I would ask him about the war, he would not tell me much. He stuck more to the stories about weather and strange bugs on the islands. The most he would tell me about the bad part of war was how seriuos a shotgun was at close range and seeing the aftermath of an artilery raid on a Japanese ammo supply. He became a mailman after that. Giving my grandpa a hug was like giving the front door to your house a hug. He wore the tension of that war his entire life but never let it effect his family. I sure wont forget that and I will tell my kids about their great grandfather and his part in history.

+1

As a hindsight he* did specifically leave me his Samurai sword when he passed on, so I feel like I did him some honor.

*Old School Bainbridge Islanders know him.

My Dad was a WWII Navy career guy...22 yrs. I can relate to the front door hug......good analogy.

My Dad enlisted in the Marines rather late as he started working at Keyport in 1940 as an apprentice machinist making tools after high school in Marysville. When my Uncle Chuck was killed on Palau, he tried to enlist but as he was in defense work, he couldn't sign up here in Kitsap so he went to Seattle and enlisted in the Marines. He was at Bikini when the bomb was tested and then put on a ship heading toward Japan to participate in the invasion when they dropped the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He said he was lucky when the bomb was dropped and the war ended as the casualty rates projected for the landing were that over 90% would be killed in the first waves. Tokyo Harbor has an island in the middle that is honeycombed with tunnels, munitions storage and gun emplacements. The island rises almost straight up from the water and the landing there would have been tough, especially with the guns to blow landing craft out of the water.

Bought the Band Of Brothers dvd series last weekend and finished it Sunday night. The most moving portions of the series were the interviews of the actual members of Easy Company. My Grampa and two close friends were WW2 Veterans and from talking to them, watching Band Of Brothers and taking in other information, the one thing I have gathered without a doubt is that war is hell. To Every active and non active member of the Military, Thank you for walking into the flames of hell to protect the freedoms I enjoy and regretfully at times take for granted.

The date of Dec.7th for my family will never be forgotten.On that day a young man named Edward Smith jr.(My Father) was on board the USS Downes when the attack started a bomb exploded, blowing him into the water,injured he swam(Dad was a diver) to a work boat,he and another sailor used that boat to save the lives of 30+men.After the attack stopped he was fixed up and then went to work trying to find the men who were still trapped.I did not find out about all this,(knew he was there) until after his death.For what he did that day he was awarded,the Navy Cross(second only to the Medal of Honor).That is why we never forget that day.....

They will always be remembered!

Keith