Posted on 12/07/2023 8:55:34 AM PST by Retain Mike
This year I went to the Veteran’s Day celebration at my grandkids school, which does an outstanding job. I sat next to a 103 year old survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack. He was a PBY crewman, and somehow made it through the entire war. These reconnaissance aircraft were so vulnerable, that the squadron in the Guadalcanal area said their call sign of NNOK stood for “notify next of kin”. Neither of us could hear that well even with hearing aids, but we two Navy men had a grand time.
Winston Churchill’s assessment of the attack is found on page 606 of The Grand Alliance.
“At this very moment I knew the United States was in the war, up to the neck and in to the death. So we had won after all!....England would live; Britain would live; The Commonwealth of Nations and the Empire would live. How long the war would last or in what fashion it would end, no man could tell, nor did I at this moment care….Many disasters, immeasurable cost, and tribulation lay ahead, but there was no doubt about the end….I had studied the American Civil War, fought out to the last desperate inch. American blood flowed in my veins. I thought of a remark which Edward Grey had made to me more than thirty years before that the United States is like a gigantic boiler. Once the fire is lighted under it there is no limit to the power it can generate. Being saturated and satiated with emotion and sensation, I went to bed and slept the Sleep of the saved and thankful”.
In late December 1941, Navy Secretary Frank Knox and FDR met and selected Chester Nimitz to command the Pacific Fleet, which at that time the public perceived as residing at the bottom of Pearl Harbor. Roosevelt said, “Tell Nimitz to get the hell out to Pearl and stay there until the war is won”. Knox informed Nimitz by saying, “You’re going to take command of the Pacific Fleet, and I think you will be gone a long time.
On Christmas Day 1941 Admiral Nimitz arrived to take command at Pearl Harbor. When he arrived, he saw a sunken battle fleet and was assailed by a poisonous atmosphere from black oil, charred wood, burned paint, and rotting flesh. However, he found the general perception of disaster to be wrong. The dry-docks, repair shops, and tank farm were intact. The carriers, their escorts, and the submarines stood ready to take the offensive.
The tragedy of Pearl Harbor for the Japanese was that it required them to contend with the U.S. Navy from its forward base in Hawaii, rather than forcing their enemy to begin operations from the West coast. Japan achieved tactical victory but lost the opportunity for a strategic victory achieving control over much of the Pacific Ocean.
Nimitz immediately sent submarines into Japanese waters and conducted carrier operations thwarting Japanese initiatives. Admiral Raymond Spruance said of Nimitz, “The one big thing about him was that he was always ready to fight…. And he wanted officers who would push the fight to the Japanese”.
A day of terror..and infamy.
Pearl Harbour Day!!!
I’m at the National Observance at Pearl Harbor, set to begin in 30 minutes, and will send a live report after. I’d say about 1,000 people are on hand at this hour with more streaming in by the moment
One addition to PBYs. Besides patrol they conducted offensive operations as select groups were Black Cat operations. They also did many air sea rescues. It was a great aircraft. My uncle was a flying chief.
When we lived in Eugene Oregon and had a house, I put out my flag every December 7. In Eugene remembering the day would be a micro-aggression
Say “hello” to my 99-year-old uncle Kenneth Steven’s. He’s there today.
Thanks!!
Don't tread on me....Come and take it...Christian Flags...etc
Thanks for posting this!
I decided to run my American Flag up our flag pole.
It was out and up for Vets Day and other days we celebrate.
Very few mentions of a very important day for untold thousands of veterans. Just another memory to shuffle down the forgotten history path. It is right in line with D-Day, Koreas Battle of Heartbreak Ridge, Vietnam's TET 68. Just a bunch of old farts that can relive their private battles which in a few years no one will give a crap about as the survivors all die. Salute to survivors and their families of those who may or may not have anyone to remember what it took from them.
Thanks FRiend!!
I don’t have flagpole anymore, but Redmond Oregon where I live is officially flag city USA. We rent a house about three blocks from where the volunteers assemble to put out 1,700 flags along the downtown grid of one way streets. There are eight trucks and trailers, but we still get an hour workout each time.
Basically every home on our 18 home culdesac now flies an American Flag 24/7.
To prevent possible vandalism to the flags, most of the other homes install their American flags up high and with the flags attached to their homes or anchored up a high flag
pole with no way to lower or get to the flags.
Our last WWII vet in this area, died earlier this year and his widow, died a couple of months ago. His/their flag is still securely anchored into the outer upper rafter of their garage. You see the flag from the main street and on our cul de sac.
Their wills stated: The flag stayed up until the home was sold. Then, the new owner could take it down or leave it up.
A day that shall live in infamy….
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