The Anniversary of Pearl Harbor (1 Viewer)

[Louis Badolato]

Sixty-Six years ago today, the Empire of Japan foolishly attacked the United States, inevitably causing its complete destruction. Several thousand United States military personnel died in this cowardly attack. The Japanese simultaneously attacked our stalwart British, Australian and New Zealand allies. As a result, several hundred thousand Japanese would pay for their treachery. I would like to humbly thank the brave American British, ANZAC and other Allied servicemen and servicewomen who fought and defeated the true evil empires of the last millenium: the Empire of Japan and the Third Reich.

 

[indiana81]

Louis,
Couldn't have said it better. God bless them all...
Justin

 

[jazzeum]

It's a shame that few people (it seems) remember anymore.

This is a photo I took from the Arizona Memorial. You can see the oil still rising to the surface. Terrible to die so young.

 

[Currahee Chris]

Brad-

I cannot possibly thank you enough for posting that picture!!! I am speechless. I don't think I have seen a more powerful picture representative of WW2 than that one. It's as if the spirit of the Arizona is caught in eternal lamentation. Perhaps when she has shed her last tear, we will know peace.

Thanks so much for sharing that picture!!

Regarding that day- my dad and I were talking about it in comparison to 9-11 (I wondered aloud if 9-11 would someday be relatively forgotten like PH). He said "The public expects soldiers, sailors and airmen to die- the difference with 9-11 was it was an attack on civilians. Pearl Harbor will unfortunatley be another day when "A lot of sailors were killed."

(Sorry for sprinkling current events in there).


CC

 

[jazzeum]

Chris,

I have a few other photos that I could post if you'd like me to.

 

[Rob]

Excellant Post Louis,i echo every word.

Rob

 

[vandilay]

When we visited I thought it was an excellent memorial,
for me the film they show of the ship [ when the magazine rack blew up]
has quite an impact ,knowing your at the place it happened.

And how quickly the US was able to get that fleet back into action
was a real show of its capability and determination.

 

[Currahee Chris]

Chris,

I have a few other photos that I could post if you'd like me to.

If you'd be so kind sir, I would appreciate.

Many thanks
CC

 

[L Flowers]

Living in Hawaii it is easy for me to visit Pearl Harbor. I try to make the trek to the Arizona Memorial every time I visit Oahu. This time I only had time for the USS Missouri. Here are some photos. I believe the amphibious ship is The Bonhome Richard.

Larry

 

[L Flowers]

Here are some more pics. One shows a Japanese Navy ship that just participated in some missle exercises off of Kauai. The last pic is of 4 CH-47s off of Diamond Head.
Aloha,
Larry

 

[Louis Badolato]

Welcome Larry, and thanks for the great photos. I can imagine that even now, it must be wierd to see a Japanese Naval Ship in Pearl Harbor (at least its not a mini-sub).

 

[sceic2]

I was a crew member of a ship homeported in Pearl from 1977 to 1981. This was during a time when the Japanese economy was growing like a wild fire. Many tour buses packed with Japanese tourists would visit the memorial and pay their respects. I don't remember not seeing them all cry and be very very quiet. Even the younger newly weds came as kind of a tradition to pay their respects.

If any reader gets the opportunity to visit Hawaii, Ohau, a visit to the National Cemetary of the Pacific is something not to be missed. The memorial is very impressive and moving.

Every year the US military, especially the Navy, takes part in an excersise call RIMPAC. That's military speak for Rim of the Pacific. US, Japan, Australia, Thailand, and other Pacific nations excersise across the vast expanse of the Pacific. Red team against blue team fleet, air, and ground simulations take place over half the globe. We even got to sink an old decommissioned ship. The Japanese Navy a most professional navy that has modeled its rebirth after the USN.

In the 3rd picture Larry posted of the Memorial, up above the flag pole is my old neighborhood. Quite of view at night, you can see all the way to Diamond Head and the lights of Honolulu are very impressive. One of the great sites of the world.