Posted on 12/06/2004 6:14:06 PM PST by NormsRevenge
HONOLULU (AP) - Sixty-three years after the sneak attack that plunged the United States into World War II, hundreds of men who died aboard the battleship USS Oklahoma are finally getting their own special tribute.
A new exhibit of photos, artifacts and oral histories was being unveiled Monday to honor the 429 men from the Oklahoma who died in the Dec. 7, 1941 attack. That is the second-highest number of Pearl Harbor casualties behind the USS Arizona, where most of its 1,177 killed crewmen remain entombed.
The anniversary also will be marked with simultaneous ceremonies Tuesday aboard the Arizona Memorial above that sunken battleship, and on shore at the National Park Service's visitors center. Each ceremony was to feature a silence pause at 7:55 a.m. - the minute the attack started.
While the better-known Arizona has a gleaming white memorial straddling its hull, the Oklahoma has gone largely unrecognized over the years.
On Monday, Paul Goodyear, head of the USS Oklahoma Survivors Association, and five other survivors were to join Republican Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma at the exhibit's unveiling at the Pearl museum and visitors center.
Goodyear, who organizes an annual USS Oklahoma reunion, had lobbied for the exhibit at the Oklahoma state capitol earlier this year.
"The youngest of our survivors is already 80," he said then. "If we don't do this now, these men will be completely forgotten. Is that the way we thank them for their supreme sacrifice they made for this country?"
When it sank, the Oklahoma was anchored off Ford Island on Battleship Row in the middle of the harbor, next to the USS Maryland. The Oklahoma took the brunt of the torpedoes, leaving the Maryland relatively intact.
The Oklahoma was refloated in 1943 and sold for scrap after the war, but it sank in the Pacific while being towed to California.
The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and other military bases on Oahu lasted two hours. Twenty-one ships were heavily damaged, and 320 aircraft were damaged or destroyed. In all, about 2,390 people were killed and about 1,178 were wounded, according to the National Park Service, which maintains the Arizona site.
Tragic day. We never should have been caught so unaware.
just a ping...
http://www.ok-history.mus.ok.us/mus-sites/OklahomaMuseumHistory_files/smhexhibits.html
(scroll down a bit for a Battleship Oklahoma listing)
I remember seeing the silver service (and ship's bell?) salvaged from the Oklahoma
when I toured the OK Historical Society building...decades ago.
YES!!!
This is great!
Now how long before the occupants of the "twin towers" receive the same respect....60 years? I hope not.
Has the Japanese government ever officially apologized?
In all, about 2,390 people were killed and about 1,178 were wounded, according to the National Park Service, which maintains the Arizona site.Am I interpreting this correctly? A total of 2,390 people were killed by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In contrast, close to 3,000 were killed by the Islamofacists on 9/11. Hence, by the number of people killed, 9/11 was worse than Pearl Harbor?
Is 12/7 equal to 9/11. I think not but it could be close. Both options are quite scary.
It's true. The Arizona was like one of the twin towers. Those poor guys never had a chance.
I think 12/7 was worse just because our military took such a hit and the Japanese were attacking other areas as well.
The Utah also sank at Pearl Harbor. "Her partially submerged hulk still remains, rusting, at Pearl Harbor with an unknown number of men trapped inside." "Chief Watertender Tomich received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his selfless act in ensuring the safety of others."
http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/battlesh/bb31.htm
But he wouldn't talk about Pearl Harbor, other than to tell me that he was there. Due to his lack of candor, I always had lingering doubts about whether or not he was really there, but then recently he passed on. The obituary in my local paper showed me that he was indeed there, as well as many other prominent places which he didn't tell me about. We're talking hardcore stuff, even for WWII, the historic places and battles he'd been in made my head spin as I read the obituary. Reading the obit, I was amazed at the places he'd been, the destruction and death he'd witnessed, and most of all the fact that he didn't care to relive them for a snot-nosed furnace installer.
Recalling our talks, I realized that he had only talked about the minor things, and he had been unable, or unwilling, to talk about the really bad things he had seen. He held it all in without my realizing he was holding it all in.
That's a Man, folks. A US Man, a US Sailor. He carried his end, as well as a good share of the ends of others, and never asked for recognition, never once, at least in my presence.
We all owe Mr. Abarr a debt of gratitude which he never asked for while he was here, and we all are too late to repay that debt to him, but, we can push for this Oklahoma memorial.
At the very least I would urge everyone to be on the lookout for our current servicemen and servicewomen. You people in our larger population centers, and those who live near military bases: How often do you see these people in a grocery store or restaurant? Please do something nice and buy their meal or groceries; they are protecting our butts and getting too damned little pay for doing so.
Sorry for the long post.....
Thank you for telling about this hero.
His kind seem to be pretty scarce nowadays.
No need to apologize.
This man certainly maintained his modesty, but at a cost: his story will now never be told.
What memories this sailor must have had...
The incident of February 4, 1838, which your handle brings to mind, should be related to every Christian schoolboy, as an antidote to the toxic multi culti brainwashing now being force fed in the government indoc camps [publik skools]. Being a godly man, old Piet trusted the kufrs and paid dearly. Our present leaders would do well to remember Piet's fatal mistake and Ronaldus Magnus' famous dictum, trust but verify.
I was thinking the same thing. Better to go down like a fighting ship, or close to it anyway.
A small collection of cartoons...the first two are real keepers...
http://cagle.slate.msn.com/news/TerrorPearlHarbor/main.asp
True enough, but I'm blessed to have one like him in my life still.
An injustice long overlooked has been corrected. Here's raising a glass to the memory of the Oklahoma.
http://www.geocities.com/bb37usa/
a good site for USS Oklahoma
"I remember seeing the silver service (and ship's bell?) salvaged from the Oklahoma when I toured the OK Historical Society building...decades ago."
It was there for many years and I think it is back again. However, there was a time, I believe, about a decade ago where one of OKs governors had "acquired" the silver service for state functions use. I believe the Historical Society made them give it back. The anchor of the USS Oklahoma is a memorial, that has been there forever, one main street in down town Oklahoma City. I work within walking distance of this and if I get ambitious tommorrow I will walk over to it a maybe reflect and pray some. The building I work in is right across the street from the Alphred P. Murry federal building bombing national memorial - I see that every day of the week.
"Heck, I'm a junky for this stuff and didn't realize a "California" had been
in the battle until I bought a Pearl Harbor commemorative put out by Time-Life...just a couple of weeks before 9-11.."
Goodness, haven't you ever read Wouk's "Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance", or even watched "Tora, Tora, Tora." ?????
"The anchor of the USS Oklahoma is a memorial, that has been there forever, one main
street in down town Oklahoma City."
Hey, I think I do recall that...on one of the east-west street...just west of
Robinson.
I worked at about 13th and Shartel for nearly six years (close to St. Anthonys)
"Goodness, haven't you ever read Wouk's "Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance",
or even watched "Tora, Tora, Tora." ????? "
OK, I should be flogged.
I tried Wouk's "Winds of War" in junior high and just didn't have time to
get through much of it. I know Wouk is high in the pantheon of writers...
but I just couldn't get jazzed enough to stay with the book.
As for "Tora, Tora, Tora"...I saw it once when it first came out...so memory
of a California was flushed long ago.
Myself, I'm more a "Midway" guy...especially for the guilty pleasure of seeing
the shock on the Japanses aviators' faces as they survey their three burning carriers...
My DAD served on the Utah during the WW 1 era. My DAD died 12/20/2003. The last combat vet from WW1 in Alabama.
Comment Details: The battleship Utah was bombed and torpoeded at Pearl Harbor. It capsized with the loss of about 60 sailors. Orginally built as a battleship she was of the Florida class. Her number was BB-31. Late in her life she was converted to a target ship and designated as AG-16. Upon conversion the Utah had it's main guns removed and timbers placed on it's deck to soften the impact of target shells. During the attack, the Japs thought it was a front line battleship and attacked. Many people debate how many battleships were at or sunk on Dec 7. It depends if you consider the Utah a battleship as originally constructed or as a target ship as it was converted to. The japs reported 9 battleships sunk or damaged because of this.
The excellent article at the URL you posted gives details of how UTAH was converted to remote radio control to sereve as a moving target.
Pray for W and Our Troops
That is correct. She was being used for training purposes as a target ship.
Congressional Medal of Honor
Awarded Posthumously
FRANCIS C. FLAHERTY
Rank and organization: Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve.
Place and date: During the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941.
Born: 15 March 1919, Charlotte, Michigan.
Accredited to: Michigan.
When it was seen that the U.S.S. Oklahoma was going to capsize and the order was given to abandon ship, Ens. Flaherty remained in a turret, holding a flashlight so the remainder of the turret crew could see to escape, thereby sacrificing his own life.
Congressional Medal of Honor
Awarded Posthumously
JAMES RICHARD WARD
Rank and organization: Seaman First Class, U.S. Navy.
Place and date: Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941.
Born: 10 September 1921, Springfield, Ohio.
Entered service at: Springfield, Ohio.
When it was seen that the U.S.S. Oklahoma was going to capsize and the order was given to abandon ship, Ward remained in a turret holding a flashlight so the remainder of the turret crew could see to escape, thereby sacrificing his own life.
http://www.worldwariihistory.info/Medal-of-Honor/Pearl-Harbor.html
Thanks for posting that as well as the map.
My husband's grandfather was killed in Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941. My husband's father died 62 years later on 7 December of last year.
Thanks for telling his story. He wasn't a glory grabbing Kerry was he? Reminds me of my father in law. He took the Marines into the beaches, under fire, as Navy Coxwain of Higgins boat landing craft, throughout the Solomon Island, Okinawa, and Iwo Jima invasions. You can't hardly get him to talk about it either. I am honored to have a hero for my father-in-law.
What a great story about your time with this gentleman. Thanks for telling us about it. That generation has served us greatly. I'm so happy that the Oklahoma sailors are finally being recognized, though it is mind-boggling that something like this has taken so darn long.
Great idea, yooper. Do you hang outdoor Christmas lights? LOL!
We think we are doing something new with our remotely piloted drones -- but The Utah was remotely controlled (piloted) via radio well before the start of WWII!
Oh, well, I suppose it is a prouder fate for one of our old warhorses to provice training for our young warriors -- rather than to be cut up for scrap.
Joe Kennedy was killed when a remotely piloted plane malfunctioned. The Germans also had remotely piloted anti-ship missles for stand-off attacks on shipping.
9/11 happened...
The California's bell hangs at a memorial on the grounds of the Capitol in Sacramento.
Thanks for the info on the bell from the California.
I'll look for it if I ever make it to Sacramento.
The Time-Life Pearl Harbor commemorative publication I mentioned in a previous post...
had a color photo of the tattered flag rescued from the California on the back cover.
Try this one: http://www.ussoklahoma.com/
Thanks for the link...I'll have to check it out more (back to work, don't cha' know!)
Fascinating -- and quite logical...
evening bump
I went to your USS Oklahoma link. I have often wondered what it was like to have been caught like those sailors were. I sensed the horror reading their accounts. Here from your link:
Quickly the water flooded in. We were buffeted about, twisted and turned by its strength. Then the dark waters closed over me as the ship came to rest- upside down on the bottom of the harbor.
Quickly the water flooded in. We were buffeted about, twisted and turned by its strength. Then the dark waters closed over me as the ship came to rest- upside down on the bottom of the harbor.
When the ship turned over, the water came in the vents through the whole ship. The deck became the overhead, it just put us in an upside down position. It took all your senses to figure out where you were.
About ten minutes after the attack started (the lights went out). We were in there for about 36 hours. We lost track of time.
There were bodies in the water, debris, and you were standing on the ceiling on the pipes, with the deck above your head. Talk about disorientation.
I touched my face and didn't know my hand was there until it touched, it was that dark...I felt around there and couldn't feel any opening… So I just waited there, I don't know how long, four, five or maybe six hours.
Tapping was heard from inside the ship up through December 10th, but they were trapped below the water line. Rescue was impossible and they slowly suffocated.
I can't imagine that kind of terror.
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