1941- AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR X THIS IS NOT DRILL.

[BikeWriter]

On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory killing more than 2,300 Americans. The U.S.S. Arizona was completely destroyed and the U.S.S. Oklahoma capsized. The attack sank three other ships and damaged many additional vessels. More than 180 aircraft were destroyed.

A hurried dispatch from the ranking United States naval officer in Pearl Harbor, Commander in Chief Pacific, to all major navy commands and fleet units provided the first official word of the attack at the ill-prepared Pearl Harbor base. It said simply: AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR X THIS IS NOT DRILL.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec07.html

Please K&R this post!:patriot:

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Please change your subject line - Hawaii still has air raid siren tests.

The Pearl Harbor attack is not in the distant past - it is a constant and present reality. Hawaii - or, perhaps more precisely, Oahu, still tests the air raid sirens once a month when they test the tsunami alert sirens, like the midwest tests its tornado warning once a month.

Please let people know in your title that Pearl Harbor is not, in fact, being attacked now.

My adrenaline went up so far, I'm breathing funny.

[driver8]

2. I lived on Guam during the Vietnam War and they used to have

air raid drills at the Air Force base.

I lived on one of the Navy bases but we used to go to the Air Force base because their PX was huge. I just happened to be reading a sign warning patrons about air raid drills when the freakin' siren went off!!

I was ten years old at the time, and it scared the shit out of me!!! I thought we were going to be bombed.

[BikeWriter]

5. I recall hiding under desks during the cold war...

The adults managed to scare a whole generation shitless!

[BikeWriter]

3. I added 1941, is that okay with you or are you still under the bed?

My intent was to honor the men and women who died there, and I would hope our warning systems have improved.

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. Yes, thanks!

While I'm not old enough to remember the attacks, I lived on Oahu, went through the sirens, and I know a great number of people who DID experience the attacks as military people, adult civilians, and child civilians.

Sorry to be a thorn, but your post really did set me into a panic. Especially since Hawaii just had that big earthquake, and I have friends who have damaged houses and churches.

Thanks for adding the date. That clarifies it just fine.

[BikeWriter]

9. Okay, that's cool. I didn't want to distract from the message...

with any of my own baggage, but I will admit to my eyes getting dust in them as I posted it.

[rockymountaindem]

4. My dad remembers the attack

In fact, it's one of his first memories.

[BikeWriter]

7. I'm sure it disturbed him. I have known a number of Pearl Harbor vets...

Sadly, most are gone now.

[rockymountaindem]

8. Well, I should clarify. He wasn't in Hawaii

He grew up on the east coast. But, he says, one of his first memories is coming out of the subway holding his mother's hand and seeing newspaper boys holding a giant banner announcing the attack. I think he realized by the way people were acting that something bad was going down.

[BikeWriter]

11. I know the feeling. I'm a Texas City Disaster of 1947 survivor...

I was a toddler, but one of my older Brothers ran outside screaming we were being bombed.

[rockymountaindem]

13. Yeesh

Well, happily I bypassed my formative years without anything like that happening to me. My first memory of import is Bill Clinton's swearing in in 1993.

[BikeWriter]

20. I'm glad you did. I've had far more than my fair share of disasters.

[RoyGBiv]

10. Salute ...

One of my great uncles died that day, somewhat ironically on the Oklahoma. He was from Oklahoma. We wanted to serve on the ship that immortalized the name. He called in many favors to get there.

And he died there.

:patriot:

[BikeWriter]

12. I am so very, very sorry. I'll join you in that salute.

:patriot:

[RoyGBiv]

14. I never knew him, of course ...

He was about 20 years old six years before my mother was born. But I've heard the story since I was a child, usually in the context of my grandmother telling me why I should not serve in the military.

Her son served in Vietnam, as did my father. They both survived physically. My father died mentally. My uncle seemed to make it out okay, I think. He seems okay anyway.

He's a Republican who hates this current war and everything it represents. He mentions my great-uncle when he rails about it, about how my great-uncle died for no good reason other than pride and about how soldiers today are sent to their deaths imbued with the same philosophy. Die because you're told, because it'll make you famous, because it means you're more American than the next guy. It's one of the reasons he retired from the military before he had to.

[BikeWriter]

16. You never knew him, but he was your blood! Blood means...

...a lot to me and mine. I hate seeing it shed for no reason.

[RoyGBiv]

18. Me too ...

Thus the stories. Family was, and is, everything to me, whether I break bread with them regularly or not.

Your sentiments and certainly appreciated, and I'm glad you started a thread like this.

[BikeWriter]

19. Thank you, Roy. My folks taught me early to honor our Vets.

[pokerfan]

15. We started WWII

with the oil embargo on Japan and all...

:sarcasm:

[BikeWriter]

17. Yep, and their aristocracy prefered force to negotiations...

That sounds familiar, huh?