Posted on 12/07/2011 6:17:39 AM PST by Borges
HONOLULU — For more than half a century, members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association gathered here every Dec. 7 to commemorate the attack by the Japanese that drew the United States into World War II. Others stayed closer to home for more intimate regional chapter ceremonies, sharing memories of a day they still remember in searing detail.
But no more. The 70th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack will be the last one marked by the survivors’ association. With a concession to the reality of time — of age, of deteriorating health and death — the association will disband on Dec. 31.
“We had no choice,” said William H. Eckel, 89, who was once the director of the Fourth Division of the survivors’ association, interviewed by telephone from Texas. “Wives and family members have been trying to keep it operating, but they just can’t do it. People are winding up in nursing homes and intensive care places.”
Harry R. Kerr, the director of the Southeast chapter, said there weren’t enough survivors left to keep the organization running. “We just ran out of gas, that’s what it amounted to,” he said from his home in Atlanta, after deciding not to come this year. “We felt we ran a good course for 70 years. Fought a good fight. We have no place to recruit people anymore: Dec. 7 only happened on one day in 1941.”
The fact that this moment was inevitable has made this no less a difficult year for the survivors, some of whom are concerned that the event that defined their lives will soon be just another chapter in a history book, with no one left to go to schools and Rotary Club luncheons to offer a firsthand testimony of that day.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
My niece who is the Navy and stationed in Hawaii has the honor of being an official escort to one of the few survivors of Pear Harbor for today’s events.
I am not sure warriors should be called stunning, but she does look stunning in her dress uniform.
Pearl Harbor? Who is she? According to Google the important thing today is Diego Rivera’s 125th birthday.
With todays liberal unionized teachers not teaching American history it won’t be remembered much longer.
Unionized teachers current instruction of American history:
1) 9/11 was an inside job
2) ALL American Indians were noble people who NEVER had slaves or killed other Indian tribes
3) Che,JFK,RFK and MLK were the FAB four of the 60’s and were more popular than Jesus Christ!!
4) FDR saved the US from economic catastrophe
5) Ronald Reagan is the root of all US deficits/debt
6) Founding fathers were slave holding,wife beating, greedy, white males sociopaths who ‘rebelled’ from England because they did not want to pay their FAIR share of taxes.
7) Woodrow Wilson desegregated the federal government.
8) Without the federal government financial backing and expertise, the Wright Brothers would have NEVER succeeded in Kitty Hawk.
9) Slave Reparations are a moral duty.
10) The CIA caused aids in homo’s,crack in the hood and Bernie Goetz shooting in the subway.
But there's nothing the current crop of leftist educators & dimwitted media types can do to change history & how admirably this generation acquitted itself.
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Infamy Speech
December 8, 1941
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. This morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.”
Not for some of us.
http://sportairrace.org/
Which is why I prefer Bing
As a 7 year old, born March 25, 1934, I still remember us getting the news that Pearl Harbor was bombed.
We lived way out in the country, had no phones, newspapers,
only by word of mouth until we were back in school.
Before the attack, we had no idea what or where Pearl Harbor was located.
Then Uncles, cousins,neighbors, teachers, and our principal, and our mail man started leaving for war. Many were gone for 3 to 4 years or more. Sadly, some never returned.
Bing remembered. Heck, they remembered before I did.
I really hate that dates that used to be forefront in my mind have started to slip. The bigger issue is that there are no more reminders. When I was a kid it was still fresh enough in everyone's mind (I'm 42). Sixty years from now, I doubt anyone will want to commemmorate 9/11. We'll be too old or gone, and those who came after us just won't have the connection.
2:15 pm
The President holds a bilateral meeting with Prime
Minister Harper of Canada
Oval Office
Closed Press
3:00 pm
The President and Prime Minister Harper of Canada deliver statements
South Court Auditorium
Open Press
(Pre-Set 1:15PM, Final Gather 2:25PM – North Doors of the Palm Room)
4:35 pm
The President attends a campaign event
DC, The Jefferson Hotel, Washington
Closed Press
(In-Town Travel Pool Final Gather 3:55PM – North Doors of the Palm Room)
NOT ONE MENTION OF PEARL HARBOR.
Hardly. None of our aircraft carriers were even present, and they would inflict irreversible damage to the Japanese Navy a scant 6 months later at Midway.
I agree that we should never forget.
nobama feels America deserves whatever it gets because we have exploited the “less fortunate” historically. “God damn the United States” is his rally cry. He sat for 20+ years in rev wright’s church with his family and absorbed this anti-American crap with less than a whimper.
Two examples for you. I have two friends who are teachers, one in history, the other in chemistry.
The history teacher is appalled that American history in his school is being de-emphasized in favor of world history. But other than speaking up at meetings - which he has done - he is powerless to stop this.
The chemistry teacher has been told not to use any math in her chemistry class! Yes, you read that right. Her supervisors feel that math will intimidate some students. So math must be eliminated from chemistry.
My chemistry teacher friend feels that teaching her class without using math is a form of malpractice, so she is using math where appropriate. She has been written up for this twice, and expects to be fired at the semester break in February. She will certainly be replaced by someone who will follow the no-math rule better than she did.
So who is at fault here? it's not the teachers. It's the idiotic - and very liberal - school administrators. And the school board members who are too lazy to watch over their district.
I’m sure the company of your stunning daughter will make his day. He may be old, but he’s still a sailor! A few years ago I took my family to Pearl. My drop dead beautiful step daughter struck up a conversation with three old vets headed for a tin can reunion. They were still grinning two hours later when we boarded the plane!
FDR was a communist, but he was alive in an era when you could be a US Nationalist and a believer in socialism.
He didn't back down from the challenge from the evil that attacked the USA.
His job was easier because the presstitutes were happy to pump FDR and his aid for uncle joe the red stalin.
If Hitler had not attacked russia, the US press would have been fighting FDR tooth and nail to prevent us from fighting against a russian/german pact {both socialist countries} and for England and their allies.
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