Posted on 12/07/2019 4:22:36 AM PST by BenLurkin
On Dec. 7, 1941, then-21-year-old Lauren Bruner was the second-to-last man to escape the burning wreckage of the USS Arizona after a Japanese plane dropped a bomb that ignited an enormous explosion in the battleship’s ammunition storage compartment.
He lived to be 98 years old, marrying twice and outliving both wives. He worked for a refrigeration company for nearly four decades.
This weekend, divers will place Bruner’s ashes inside the battleship’s wreckage, which sits in Pearl Harbor where it sank during the attack 78 years ago that thrust the United States into World War II. The Southern California man will be the 44th and last crew member to be interred in accordance with this rare Navy ritual. The last three living Arizona survivors plan to be laid to rest with their families.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Interesting. And sad.
Wife and I visited the Arizona Memorial a few years back, after walking the deck of the Missouri.
We were told the Navy is worried about the potential collapse of the wreck. No one in authority wants to disturb the shrine, however...
“Wife and I visited the Arizona Memorial a few years back, after walking the deck of the Missouri.”
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I attended Elementary School for several years in Hawaii.
It was an annual field trip to the Memorial.
You would be stunned how even 5th and 6th graders would be quieted by the earie death scene they were walking above.
We would also see Japanese tourists placing Funeral Wreaths upon the Memorial. They were so respectful towards the men who died and what it portended for the future of the world.
Age dims many memories; I am so glad the still be able to relive in my mind the days I visited, right down to the breath of the wind over the Memorial.
Dad was stationed in Japan with the Army 1950-61. I grew up in Sagamihara and Yokohama. We came home via MSTS and stoped for a day in Honolulu. It was a before the Memorial was creaed.
On our most recent visit, we boated out to the Arizona with a dozen Japanese girls. I asked why they were on the tour and was told they wanted to see what their fathers and grandfathers had done. In Japan, WW II is known as the Great Pacific War, but public schools skimp on telling the story.
Me and my family went to see it in March 1985 (I was 14.5 at the time). As I recall, you watch a movie presentation about the ship and the attack first and then you tour the memorial.
“Wife and I visited the Arizona Memorial a few years back, after walking the deck of the Missouri.”
I’ve been there twice — once in the mid-’80s, and again in 2005. What a difference between the two visits! The first time it was somber and completely silent out of respect for the fallen. (Surprisingly, MANY Japanese were in the group.) The last time there was a large “diversity” of people and the atmosphere was rowdy, disrespectful, kidding around — and we were DISGUSTED! The worst behaved were the middle aged and youth of America.
It is incredible the pain and destruction the bushido warrior class inflicted upon the world, and on Japan.
I am a fan of the modern Japanese. My dad, of WW2 vintage was not.
“I am a fan of the modern Japanese. My dad, of WW2 vintage was not.”
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I can truly understand both views.
The interesting thing is the thinking of the Bushido Warrior Class is pretty much intact in the dealings of the Japanese when it comes to Japan’s Commerce.
Not the fear they will be in Hell because they are taking lives. It’s about the honor of Japan first in all dealings.
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That said, America is experiencing the America First policy of our current President. As it should be.
From the time America stood totally on it’s own, it’s been trying to follow the America First.
We call it a Revolution; however, it really wasn’t as we did not take out the ruling King of England, which is a true revolution.
We did, however, free ourselves and instill within our country the America First thinking and included in that so many things the Bushido Class Warrior was not able to understand and that is the ability of valuing the minority in our country and realizing we could make changes to right the particular flaws (no, I won’t call them wrongs) we built into the founding of our country.
So your dad’s generation views them as those who couldn’t value others and those that took the lives of so many, and caused so much suffering.
You (and mine, I hope) view it with the lens that over time Japan was able to see changes and make changes. In fact, the Japanese business world is starting to make big moves of safety; their internal Social views still have so much to works towards.
May our generations keep open and honest about our changes for the better of our country and how we view the world.
While I do not know your father’s ethnic make-up, I will comment on the fact that many older American Japanese who lived on American soil still despise what happened to them during the war. And we must remember that many American Japanese volunteered to serve in the military while knowing their families were locked up in our version of Concentration Camps.
It’s still costing us, isn’t it?
Back with your buddies and shipmates. Rest in peace hero.
Rest in Peace Shipmate, we now have the watch.
There was a recent exploration of parts of the Arizona using remote controlled drones. As I recall, it turned out to be in better condition than they expected.
Nothing wrong with that. I am still in wonderment at the left's perverse and weird false altruism of being ashamed of their country, and rooting against its success.
While I do not know your father’s ethnic make-up, I will comment on the fact that many older American Japanese who lived on American soil still despise what happened to them during the war. And we must remember that many American Japanese volunteered to serve in the military while knowing their families were locked up in our version of Concentration Camps.
I think my dad's feeling towards the Japanese was due to the fact that there were negotiations underway at the time of the attack, and the negotiations were seeming to be going well. It is possible the Japanese negotiating team did not know war was imminent. He thought, based upon this negotiating/sneak attack tactic, they were not trustworthy.
One of the reasons for the internment camps was that there was a fear of sabotage by ethnic Japanese. That was definitely a concern in Hawaii, and there were reports of sabotage during or after the Pearl attack. I have not seen actual confirmation that there definitely was sabotage, though I have looked for evidence.
The camps were internment camps, not concentration camps. Big difference. I don't think anyone was starved or executed in these camps.
I have yet to encounter any of the bitterness you have described felt by Japanese Americans due to the wartime incarcerations, but I am sure it exists.
The Japanese are notorious for their omission of what they did during WW2.
To hear the stories told in the Halls of Valhalla by men like this. I hope I earned my spot.
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