Another year has passed and it seems this day is less and less significant as the WWII vets die off. As the son of a WWII vet growing up this day was always remembered in our house. To all those who served and died I salute you --I will not forget.
Same here man, Gramps was at Pearl Harbor that day. Ocean going freighter working as a navigator onboard. They launched their lifeboats and pulled the injured from the waters transporting them to shore for medical attention.
My service stationed me at Pearl. The Memorial was always in sight from my ship. The visit to the old memorial really touched me and the experience is hard wired in me.. Just difficult to explain…
My Dad had a HS BFF (as the 'flakes say today). Kid dropped out of HS and joined the Navy in 1940. Dad said was so proud that he got assigned to his home State namesake - the USS Arizona. His name was Donnie. As is mine. I'll never forget.
I have had the honor of not only visiting the Arizona Memorial twice, and I have also stood aboard the U.S.S Missouri over looking the Great Battleship Memorial where so many of our greatest died that faithful day! Such an emotional experience, I cannot even describe it in words, only the feeling of standing there on the fairweather bridge of BB-63 and looking out to BB-39 in her final resting place brings it all into sharp focus! America MUST remember the Arizona and ALL who died in Pearl Harbor that day so long ago, a singular act which would propel this Nation to WAR, and would serve as the battle cry of the Pacific, "Remember Pearl Harbor, Remember the Arizona" and we won that War, at great and unbearable cost, but we won none the less, and it's fitting to have BB-63 Anchored astern to stand a silent watch over the Souls of the Mighty Arizona, forever sleep BB-39, we will never forget!
