Dec 7, 1941 Let us never forget

[HOTROD_WILLIE]

I am going to be out of town this weekend, being that December 7 is on Sunday. Let us don’t forget the men and women that sacrifice everything to keep us free.My uncle died fighting in the Pacific with a lot of other great Americans. A lot more would have died if was not for the scientist and other to put an end to this war before we lost any more Americans lives.Thank you for all that is serving and has served this country.
We live greatest country in the world. That has been blessed by god.Let us all be very thankful and remember that Christmas is about Jesus Christ coming to earth to save us all.

[Bruce in southern OH]

Be safe in your travels, thank you for reminder about both events, Merry Christmas, Bruce

[cmbrucew]

AMEN
Bruce

[Lawson Cox]

I will always remember that day. Some of us kids were playing in the woods then another kid came screaming "The Japs have just bombed Pearl Harbor." I turned 10 on the 27th.

[Clem Clement]

Amen. I was stationed in Hawaii in the 60's and have visited the Arizona memorial. I worked in the PACAF headquarters building there and every day as I walked in, I passed the bullet marks remaining on the building as a reminder of "The day of Infamy."
Clem

[CAPE A]

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Thank you and Bless you guys!

[corvette8n]

I think everyone should visit Pearl Harbor at least once in their lifetime, I was fortunate to be able to go in 2007 and 2013, my Dad fought in the Phillipines in 1943.

[Binx]

I've visited the Arizona Memorial. Fuel oil still leaks to the surface. Seeing the oil is a sign of perpetuity for the need to remember. My grandfather was a civilian contractor who witnessed the attack and later enlisted. He was an earth-moving equipment engineer and helped rebuild the airfields we took back from the Japanese. Among others he rebuilt the runways on Saipan, Okinawa and Tinian from which the bombs launched. The rest is well documented history. I had to pull his record to find this out. He never spoke of it.

Lonnie

[Fibber Mcgee]

Interesting stories. It even falls on Sunday again this year. I hope we never forget the Greatest Generation. Amen about Christmas as well.

[Ol' Ron]

I was 8 years old on Dec. 7 1941. I was in Fox lake Ill. With My Dad and uncle Dan. We were visiting friends if the family, when the news came over the radio. My uncle Dan was in the Army at the time and was pretty upset at the news. He served in Africs, Itily, France. Was wounded twice. I aske him how it was over there and he said "Piece of cake". many od my uncles ans cosind went into the war. We were lucky, they all came back.

[Bill S]

How many teenagers or 20 something know what happened Dec 7th.

[charles in east texas]

Originally Posted by Bill S

How many teenagers or 20 something know what happened Dec 7th.

Real close to zero.

[PeterC]

My Dad was in the Navy - went in 1942 on Destroyer DD213 USS Barker - then transferred to the brand new Destroyer Escort DE368 USS Cecil J. Doyle in 1944 - was honorably discharged while he was in Tokyo after the surrender.

Sharing with you 3 interesting pictures from my private family album ...


- The Cecil J Doyle on picket duty somewhere in the in the Atlantic circa 1944



- My Dad at 22 sitting center in the rear of photo under the fan .. in the Cecil J Doyle supply room (the good look'in guy!}- he was 1st Class Chief Petty Supply Officer - the "kid" on the right with all the cash payroll in his hands is Elton Haley his boss and Supply Chief.


- Fast forward - my Dad and Elton 68 years later! - both in there 90's
one year later they where both gone - passing of natural causes - part of the greatest generation that is no longer here but in my heart forever .... I was honored to know my father and to have been a part of their once in a lifetime reunion - when I witnessed my Dad regress right back to a 22 year old before my eyes....reliving crazy wartime adventures and hardships together - I've got 5 hours of recorded conversation to remember them by...




History of the Cecil J. Doyle from Wiki:
Namesake: Cecil J. Doyle Builder: Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas Laid down: 12 May 1944 Launched: 1 July 1944 Commissioned: 16 October 1944 Decommissioned: 2 July 1946 Struck: 1 July 1967 Fate: Sunk as target, 2 December 1967 General characteristics Class & type: John C. Butler-class destroyer escort Displacement: 1,350 tons Length: 306 ft (93 m) Beam: 36 ft 8 in (11 m) Draft: 9 ft 5 in (3 m) Propulsion: 2 boilers, 2 geared turbine engines, 12,000 shp; 2 propellers Speed: 24 knots (44 km/h) Range: 6,000 nmi. (12,000 km) @ 12 kt Complement: 14 officers, 201 enlisted Armament: 2 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 guns (2×1)
4 × 40 mm AA guns (2×2)
10 × 20 mm AA guns (10×1)
3 × 21 in. torpedo tubes (1×3)
8 × depth charge projectors
1 × depth charge projector (hedgehog)
2 × depth charge trackscarried out her first mission while still in shakedown, when she cruised on an air-sea rescue station during the flight of Government officials to the Yalta Conference. On 30 January 1945, she rendezvoused with HMS Ranee, and guarded the escort carrier through the Panama Canal and north to San Diego, California. Cecil J. Doyle continued on to Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok, where she arrived on 28 March to join the Marshalls-Gilbert Patrol and Escort Group. Her escort duties took her to Guam, and Ulithi, where on 30 April she was transferred to the Carolines Surface Patrol and Escort Group. On 2 May, Cecil J. Doyle's commanding officer became Commander, Screen, Peleliu, protecting the great anchorage in Kossol Roads.
While on patrol, Cecil J. Doyle several times rescued downed aviators, and on 27 May 1945, bombarded a bypassed Japanese garrison on Koror Island. On 2 August, she was ordered to the rescue of a large group of men in rafts reported at 11°30' N., 133°30' E., and bent on top speed to be the first ship to reach the survivors of torpedoed Indianapolis (CA-35). Her commanding officer, W. Graham Claytor Jr., approached at night and turned searchlights on the water and straight up on low clouds, lighting up the night and exposing his ship to possible attack by Japanese submarines.[2] Captain Claytor ordered his Communications Officer Lieutenant James A. Fite, Jr. to inform command that they were rescuing the crew of the Indianapolis; this was the first definitive message of the Indianapolis's fate. She rescued 93 survivors, and gave final rites to 21 found already dead. Remaining in the area searching until 8 August, Cecil J. Doyle was the last to leave the scene. While only 316 men were rescued out of the crew of 1,196 aboard the Indianapolis, Captain Claytor's actions were widely credited by survivors with preventing an even greater loss of life.
From 26 August 1945, when she sailed into Buckner Bay, Okinawa, the destroyer was assigned to occupation duty. She sailed with hospital ships to Wakayama, Japan, to evacuate released prisoners of war, then screened aircraft carriers providing air cover for landing of occupation troops. Through 12 November, she cruised on courier duty between Japanese ports, and after drydocking at Yokosuka, sailed for San Francisco, California, arriving there on 13 January 1946.
She was decommissioned and placed in reserve at San Diego on 2 July 1946.

[Robert/Texas]

I was 7 years old at the time. I vividly remember December 8 waiting for the school doors to open. The older kids were telling us younger ones that the japs were going to kill and torture us and most of us were really scared and crying.

My father tried to join but was just a little too old. His younger brother served in France and his youngest brother served (fought) on Tinian Island. Both came home safely.

I was never interested in military life but I got drafted ('57-'59) and spent most of my time in Germany.

To keep this early V8 related, my father kept my '34 Ford roadster while I was gone and drove it to work one day a week (when it wasn't raining). I sold it about 3 months after my release and now wish I had kept it.

[Ralph Moore]

I'm one of those who thinks every able bodied young man should serve at least one tour in the military. I spent 23 years in the US Army, during that time I was based in Hawaii, while serving in SE Asia. I went to Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and so I was able to honor those who fought in two wars. I saw the Arizona as well as the Hanoi Hilton. It was the greatest satisfaction of my military career to be a part of bringing some of those men back home...

[john worden]

PeterC Interesting history. Thanks for posting. My dad served as a gunnery officer on a DE. Mom was stationed in Florida in the Coast Guard.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

I'm a "youngin" compared to many of you but as a WWI & WWII "history nut I never forget this day. It would have also been my 29th wedding anniversary this year.

GB

[TonyM]

Originally Posted by Ol' Ron

My uncle Dan was in the Army at the time and was pretty upset at the news. He served in Africs, Itily, France. Was wounded twice. I aske him how it was over there and he said "Piece of cake". many od my uncles ans cosind went into the war. We were lucky, they all came back.

My grandfather also was already in the Army at the time of Pearl Harbor and he also served in North Africa, Italy and So. France (3ID); also wounded twice. He hated the war and never talked about it. No piece of cake for him--he had a real rough time.

[40cpe]

Originally Posted by HOTROD_WILLIE

I am going to be out of town this weekend, being that December 7 is on Sunday. Let us don’t forget the men and women that sacrifice everything to keep us free.My uncle died fighting in the Pacific with a lot of other great Americans. A lot more would have died if was not for the scientist and other to put an end to this war before we lost any more Americans lives.Thank you for all that is serving and has served this country.
We live greatest country in the world. That has been blessed by god.Let us all be very thankful and remember that Christmas is about Jesus Christ coming to earth to save us all.

"Amen" to what you said, Willie. Thanks for your post.

[5851a]

I'm only 59 but want to thank all the Veterans here and departed, who made life possible for us all. Thank You

[BILL WZOREK]

All gave some ~ but some gave it all !!

[Bob NH]

Robert/Texas. I too was drafted on Dec. 6th, 1957. Was scheduled to go to Germany in tank core but last minute profile check being color blind kept me state side at Ft. Benning, Ga. for about 18 months. Pretty good duty, class "A's" most every day and my own pick up at the motor pool to deliver mail and messages all over the post. My heart felt thanks goes out to all military who have served so we may enjoy the life we have this day.

[jiw1]

may god bless the united states of america and those how served then and now serving.please lord give us the courage to stand up for the freedom we beleive in as did those before us.AMEN..

[Robert/Texas]

Bob NH

I had it pretty well made too. I took basic in Ft Carson but only the first 8 weeks as I immediately got an IBM operator MOS (military occupation specialty) as this was in great demand at the time. They sent me to the 5th MRU (machine records unit) in downtown Chicago after that and then to Germany in early January. I worked staggered 2nd and 3rd shifts there in Pirmasens (southwest Germany near Kaiserslautern) in their IBM installation. We were allowed to get a car after 6 weeks so I got a '50 Mercedes 170S for $100 and drove it all over Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy and sold it to another GI for the same price I paid for it.

I made a lifetime friend with one of the Germans I worked with and my wife and I visited him often until he died in 2002. We still visit with his daughter and her husband about every other year.

[1952henry]

I have much reverence for those who perished on December 7, 1941. I won't forget the last two victims of Pearl Harbor, Admiral Husband Kimmel and General Walter Short.

[blucar]

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I find it to be quite unsettling that there was not one mention of December 7, 1941 in our local Sunday morning paper.. I guess to many people would just as soon forget about the whole thing.
A little hard for me to forget Dec. 7.. My father and I, along with a couple of his friends were returning from a Sunday rabbit trip up on the Mohave Desert. We were in my dads '40 Chevy, the news came over the car radio about the attach on Pearl Harbor.. Funny, it was not a big surprise to my dad and his friends, the actual location was, the Japanese has been invading country's in the pacific rim since 1936.

[BlueSunoco]

I'll always hold those guys especially the sailors on the Oklahoma and the Arizona, in my prayers and memories and all who were killed and wounded that day

[Brendan]

thank you Vets!

[Robert/Texas]

I remember when songs like these were played a lot on the radio, theaters and public places.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euz4VdZz25U

not so politically correct:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suuN6bkYiug

[Bob NH]

Robert/Texas. Did you know we had a German prisoner camp in northern NH named Camp Stark ? It housed about 250 men and they became quite friendly with the locals and did have reunions for a while. Believe it was a former WPA or CCC camp converted over. You might read more about it on line. We just took a ride up and took a picture of the historical marker beside the highway.

[BILL WZOREK]

There is a belief the the oil that's leaking from the USS Arizona will stop when the last
WW II veteran dies.
Sad to think of the rate that they are dying each & every day !

[Robert/Texas]

Bob NH

There were a lot of POW camps in Texas during WWII. We visited one in Hearne (about 50 miles from my place) in 2012 on a Model T tour. The remains of this camp have been preserved as a memorial and there is a recreated building there.

In the small town about 10 miles from my place I knew two men who were prison guards (I think from Camp Swift near Bastrop Texas). Both spoke German well. One owned a broken down 2 pump gas station with a long closed auto parts store. I rummaged through the store several times and found some parts for my pre-war Fords. The other was a docent at the Burton Cotton Gin museum and gave German tours occasionally.

In 2000 when my German friend was here we visited the Nimitz museum in Fredericksburg Texas. This is a Pacific Theater museum and rivals the one at Pearl Harbor. We spent at least three hours there and I could hardly get my friend (a German veteran who was drafted at age 14) to leave.

I was disappointed last night to see how little WWII programming or mention there was on the news media. Perhaps I missed something.

[HOTROD_WILLIE]

Thanks again

[Bulligen]

72 years ago on the 17th of December my father was Captured by the 1st SS Panzers in the Battle of the Bulge and started his hell on earth. He and 4 others escaped 3 1/2 months lather and made it back to the front lines. He spoke about his experience to whoever would listen, it was twofold, to get the real horror of war out and a type of release to keep from trying to hide pent up emotions. Talk about PTSD , He never received a penny from the VA because of it. He wrote his complete story, it is amazing what he went through. He had excellent recall of even all the small details. He worked in Wurzburg as a prisoner and he would load a little truck that was converted to steam power as the Germans had little fuel to waste. it was a wood burner! Dec 7th was an important date to my folks, They always had very bad feeling towards the japs, a lot worse than the krauts !

[5851a]

Thank you to all that made it possible for me to be born in a free country. I hope future generations will keep information and stories alive so it can never be said that it "It didn't happen".

[al's28/33]

Thank you Veterans, it was a lifetime ago, and we must remember and support those who served then...... We must support and respect those who serve now!

[alt63bird]

I've just spent the day listening to Sirius/XM's "Radio Classics" channel which has been rebroadcasting news reports and radio programs from the day. It's been a fascinating listen with the hindsight of history and now-declassified information to compare against what was broadcast to the public. One thing I was keeping an ear open for was mention of the German advance stalling outside of Moscow at the same time - I had a great uncle whom was drafted into the Wehrmacht in 1940 and died on December 8th within sight of the Kremlin. Needless to say, news from Europe was overshadowed by what was happening in Hawaii, the Phillipines, Wake Island, Guam and Singapore.