December 7th, 1941

[Tim Powell]

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[just me]

I just got the scuttlebutt from the guys running the new radar gizmo at Opana Point that the B-17's from the mainland are inbound. Want to go down to Hickam and watch them land?

[milstencil]

[Tim Powell]

Keep us posted "just me"
Rick, where did you get that? How chilling it must have been to receive that comm.

Along with a declaration of war being signed on this day in history, another less significant event happened 34 years ago today.
Tim & Lori Powell married. 12/08/1984 thru 12/08/2018. Holy Cow, I put up with her 34 years and counting???????

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[NAM VET]

Back in the early '50's, my dad, a naval aviator since the mid '30's, (his carrier was sunk), was assigned to Pearl. We were there for two tours, I was there for pre school and then second and third grade. Several times, my dad would arrange a navy launch, and we would go out to the wreck of the USS Arizona, it was not a memorial until the late '50's. I would walk around on the cut down wreckage, where there was a small brass memorial plaque, and a short flag pole with a flag on it. There was a oil sheen on the water. Plus, we would motor around the wreck of the target ship USS Utah, lying on its side. Many of the hangers and buildings were pock marked with with bullet impacts. It was then that they were bringing back the recovered remains from the pacific battles to be interred in the Punch Bowl. When playing in the sand at Tripler where my sister was hospitalized for a long time with rheumatic fever, I found 50 caliber bullets.

Hawaii was a great place to be a kid, as there wasn't any tourism until the Jets came later, because it took forever to get there other wise. Our family went over once on a WWII troop ship, outfitted for families. It was great to grow up as a navy kid.

NV

[T. Highway]

Hi Tim,

I bet if we asked Lori she would say that she has had to put up with YOU for 34 years.....

Hi Hal,

That had to be quite the experience growing up in Hawaii as a kid.

Bert

[Tim Powell]

Bert, you just might be correct!

NAM VET, what a great bit of history. Sobering memories.

[rickf]

Just read an article in the paper today that there were no Arizona survivors at the service this year. There are only 5 still alive after the passing of one a few weeks ago at the age of 106. It is sad that this was a war that had a lot more of a determination of whether we stayed a free country than any of the wars since but it is all but forgotten in today's world and even in the history books and teachings of today. My dad worked in NJ Bell Telephone with one of those radar operators who first reported the Japanese planes and was told they were B17's. He insisted they were not but was over ruled right up til the bombs started falling.

[Tim Powell]

I guess it's our job / privilege, to keep these memories and stories alive.

[rickf]

That it is, that it is.

[Cal_Gary]

Agreed; I recently had a spirited discussion with a team member over who the "Greatest Generation" is-he insisted that it's the Nam Vets because the government failed them; I countered with the WWII bunch because they grew up as the "Depression Kids"-already suffering before they answered the call to war.

NOT STARTING A DEBATE-just sharing the story, as both sides have valid points.
Gary

[rickf]

I am a Nam Vet and I have to agree. Not only that, we went over for a year and came home, They went over for the duration of the war and came home when it was over! Or when they died!!!