Posted on 12/07/2002 12:32:07 PM PST by stratman1969
December 7, 1941. Sixty one years ago. It started out as a beautiful Sunday morning. Suddenly, a deadly sneak attack was waged on United States military installations by aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy. In the end nearly 2,500 in our armed services gave the ultimate sacrifice--their lives in the defense of America’s freedom.
It was also a day when America arose from the slumber of Isolationism. Even Admiral Yamamoto, commander in chief of the Japanese Navy, admitted ''I fear all we’ve done is awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.'' Thus ''Remember Pearl Harbor'' became a rallying cry for the United States, in its fight to defeat Nazi Germany and Japan.
As a young boy growing up in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, I learned the significance of that day. Part of it came from attending the air shows of the Confederate (now Commemorative) Air Force, when it was located in Harlingen, Texas. Their World War II Airpower Demonstrations included a re-enactment of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It all began with replicas of Zero fighter planes and Kate torpedo bombers flying low over the airfield. As the lead plane peeled out of formation, an ear-splitting explosion simulating a bomb blast followed. The sight of this never failed to bring a lump to the throat and goosebumps to the skin.
But there was also a living link to the attack, whom I knew as a close family friend. His name was Paul J. McMurtry, or P.J., as he was known to us. His best friend was my maternal grandfather, killed in 1943 while training as an Army Air Corps air cadet in California. He and his wife, Lela, lived in the town of Rio Hondo, Texas. P.J. was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, serving as a Boatswain’s Mate First Class on the battleship USS Nevada.
On that fateful morning, the Nevada was moored right behind the USS Arizona. During the attack, the Nevada made an attempt to get out of the harbor. This move attracted attacking Japanese planes, so the mighty battleship was eventually beached at Hospital Point, in order to avoid blocking the harbor entrance.
During the attack, P.J. noticed the main turnouts of the ship weren’t firing. He left his battle station to round up shipmates, forming relief gun crews. They would replace casualties on the anti-aircraft batteries, thus continuing the ship’s fight against the attacking Japanese aircraft. However, after it all ended, the job was far from over--the task of tending to the wounded still remained. In Edwin S.Swaney’s book ''Operation Crossroads,'' there is a story about a sailor on the Nevada who received a massive head wound and was minutes away from his death. P.J. noticed the wounded man and told the medical crews to take care of him first. Many years later, the two were reunited at a Pearl Harbor survivor's reunion.
For his acts of heroism that day, P.J. received the Navy Cross, just one medal below the Congressional Medal of Honor.
On the Sunday before Veteran’s Day in 1990, P.J. spoke at our church, where he was also an active member. He didn’t use that time to focus on himself and his exploits at Pearl Harbor. Instead, he humbly reminisced about close friends and acquaintances who gave their lives in the defense of our nation. He ended his speech by quoting the opening stanza of Lee Greenwood’s ''God Bless The USA'' to sum up his love for America and the Flag. Not a dry eye could be found in the audience that day.
P.J. McMurtry died on March 1, 1999. I feel blessed to have had the privilege of knowing this great man. Although he knew how I looked up to him like the grandfather I never knew, he’ll never know how I’ve always considered him a hero.
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