Pearl Harbor

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

75 years ago today. I salute the men and women who picked up the pieces in the aftermath and had the fortitude to fight what everyone knew was going to be an incredibly difficult war to vanguish the Japanese. There are not many of them left.

I highly recommend this book:

On the sea war in general. It goes into great detail about Pearl Harbor and the immediate aftermath. The author has a fantastic gift for narrative presentation of history. This is the first of a trilogy on the sea war in the Pacific.

 

[HighStickHarry_]

http://m.arcamax.com/currentnews/newsheadlines/s-1902072?fs

 

[nathajw]

Just a few weeks ago I went to the WWII Museum in New Orleans. I highly recommend it for anyone. I could have spent all day there and plan on going back by myself to read and observe everything. 7 month olds can kill a museum high real quick.

http://www.nationalww2museum.org/vi...BBoChRbw_wcB?referrer=https://www.google.com/

 

[hollywood]

I just read a story yesterday about a man whose ashes (urn) are to be placed inside a gun turret on the Arizona today. He was a twin and his brother was manning an anti-aircraft just outside the turret where he was assigned. They were 26 yrs old and had joined the Navy together several years earlier, apparently intending it to making it their careers.

When the attack started, he repeatedly kept asking the gunnery officer to allow him to leave to go be with his brother and help shoot at the planes. He recognized those big guns to which he was assigned were worthless in this sort of combat action. He was denied every request and stayed inside the turret.

When the order came to abandon ship, he left the turret and discovered his brother was missing as well as the gun he was using to shoot at enemy aircraft. His family said that he talked about wanting to go be with his brother when his time came and they honored his wishes by having him cremated and returned to the Arizona. His brother's body was never actually recovered, but was believed to be inside the ship when it went down.

The story noted that one other survivor was to have his ashes placed aboard the Arizona today as well and that there are now only FIVE of the Arizona survivors still alive.

 

[Anodyne]

My great uncle was a survivor. I have his letters to his sister from just before the bombing, talking mainly about how boring it was to be stationed at Pearl Harbor. Later, he was not one to describe his experience.

Local fishwrap has an article today about the anniversary, includes marginally-relevant quotes from area pointy-headed history professor.