Pearl Harbor

[TripleDigitRide]

[quote name='TankerHC' timestamp='1354945755' post='856807']Well I went down and visited with that WWII Vet at the nursing home. Well he didn't serve at Pearl. He is a former gunner on LC(FF) 1031 (Landing Craft "Flotilla Flagship" 1031) that was the command ship for a flotilla of 17 LCT's, and served during the Battle Of Okinawa. His name is Mr. T.A. Mann. So I took my digital recorder and my list of questions and asked if he would consent to an interview about his WWII service. He did and I was able to record a 30 minute interview with Mr. Mann. Some interesting things, what they did during Kamikaze attacks (He shot one down right before it his his boat), when a Japanese sub got in the middle of their 17 boat flotilla (A Destroyer came in and dropped depth charges and sunk it), how he witnessed an American fighter plane take on a Zero and couldn't shoot it down so the American pilot used his plane to chop the tail of the Zero, we talked about a bunch of interesting things. Anyway, I would post the entire audio, but since I am no Geraldo when it comes to interviews, Im going to do some editing first.

One thing that happened while I was there, I took him 10 bags of candy that he asked for (Not much 88 cents a bag) and he put it in his drawer, then walked around to get a photo album out (He had been in a wheelchair the entire time I was there) and BAM, he hit the ground, had a dizzy episode. Nearly smacked his head on the corner of the dresser and landed (HARD) right on his right hip. I got him back into the wheelchair real quick and got a nurse and within 5 seconds there were 6 nurses in there checking him out. He got a bruise on his side but no broken bones. He's hard headed, when he wants to get up and walk, he does even though he has these spells, he wont let anyone push him in his chair, not nurses or doctors, he says he can do it himself. He's independent and plans on staying that way. Good ole fella though (He's 87).[/quote]

That's awesome. I'm looking forward to hearing the interview.

[runco]

Folks never forget! Its Dec 7th, 2013!

[tnhawk]

Folks never forget! Its Dec 7th, 2013!

It looks like the media forgot.  I haven't heard it even mentioned this year.

[gun sane]

My father-in-law was in an engine room of the USS Tennessee that morning trying desperately to get up a head of steam, just in case it was decided to make a desperate attempt to get underway.  By the time the attack was over his hands were covered in his own blood, ripped with many cuts from tiny shards of metal sticking out from the steam valves.  He had worked so frantically that he didn't even notice his injuries until the attack was over.  He survived until after the 50th anniversary of that day.  I'm so glad that there were millions of men like him back then.  We need so many more of them today.

Edited December 7, 2013 by gun sane

[RobertNashville]

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. I only bring this up as I would like to honor my uncle "Thomas Lowery" who served on the submarine USS Sunfish during WWII and passed away last summer. My uncle Tommy whom raised me, was aboard the Sunfish that fateful day. When the Japanese attacked, the Sunfish (whom was entering the harbor) submerged in the shallow water and turned seaward in search of the Japanese fleet. The Sunfish engaged the Jap fleet and when running out of torpedoes, surfaced and engaged the enemy with a 50 cal machine gun and what my uncle called a 3" inch deck gun.

A funny story he told me was when a Soviet Destroyer put up the Japanese flag and cruised right on into Tokyo Bay. The Sunfish went to Tokyo to attack the Jap fleet. Well, they encountered the russian cruiser flying the jap flag and sent two "fish" into the russian ship. Needless to say Ivan got pissed and wanted us to pay for the ship they lost. Such is war my friend!!! I found that story pretty funny!

I miss my uncle dearly, but would like to honor ALL the veterans buried in the choppy waters of the South Pacific!

Bless you all!

Dave S

The attack on Pearl Harbor is one of those events that has captured my attention since about the third grade when I started reading a lot of non-fiction about submarines and the submarine war in the Pacific...I remember the Sunfish!

My dad was in the other theater of operations, a tank driver in Patton's Third Army and I'm still amazed at what he and the Third Army and truly, all our WW2 veterans (and civilians for that matter) did in the cause of freedom.  I went a different route (Navy) but I think my Dad forgave me :) ).

 

One of my best friends, First Sgt MP just arrived in Hawaii on the 4th with his wife and one year old daughter for a three year tour there before he retires...I'm planning on visiting them while they are there and am looking forward to seeing Pearl Harbor with my own eyes.

[gun sane]

Just found this.....a chilling reminder of what can happen when we put our guard down, as we have seen in our own lifetime.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_f9A3fwn6w

[runco]

bump for December 7, 2014.

[runco]

Bump for December 7, 2015

 

Taken with on my own camera back in 2012:

 

[URL=http://s963.photobucket.com/user/runco0318/media/IMGP3448.jpg.html][/URL]

Edited December 7, 2015 by runco

[peejman]

:usa:

[TNWNGR]

I had the privilage to have met and talked to some of the Pearl Harbor survivors and my father served on the USS Denver a bit later in the war. Like many High School students of his time he impaitantly waited until he was old enough to enlist with a parents signuture. He was a senior in high school and didn't wait to gruaduate and his school ,as did many others granted his H.S. diploma by means of a service cap placed upon an otherwise empty chair in the audutorium. The teligram he sent home prior to his discharge and return home told my grandmother he was returning home and his expected time and date of arrival. He closed it with a Love...and his first name. Obviously the female teligraph operator prompted him to remember to do so because she added a postscript for my grandmother..."he made a face...Why in the world can't people be as caring nowadays?

[monkeylizard]

Don't know if any of you watched the Fox NFL pregame show, but they were broadcasting from the pier beside the USS Missouri. They had several (19 I think?) Pearl Harbor veterans there. At the end of the show, a couple of young Marines were having a pushup contest behind the announcers. One of those old guys (he's 90) got up, walked over to those Marines, and got down and started doing pushups with them. That was awesome!

 

It was nice that they showed the USS Oklahoma and the USS Utah memorials as well. The Oklahoma is open to the public as part of the Aviation Museum and USS Missouri area, but the Utah requires DoD credentials to access so it was nice to be able to see it even if it wasn't in person.

 

 

runco, I guess that's a popular angle to shoot a picture. Here's mine from 2013:

 

[Omega]

What is sad is that there has been no mention today in the media I have been listening to.  Any network having any Pearl Harbor stories today?  I see 9/11 going the same route, how soon we forget, just to have it repeat time and time again.

[bersaguy]

That is a great one...been a while since I saw it. I'm envious that you actually got to sen the production site and model.

I don't go to Chicago anymore ;) but one thing they have there that is fascinating to go through is the German U-boat, the U-505. It's been years since I went through it but as far as I know it's still there and open to the public.

It is located in the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and I went through it on a field trip in Grammer school when I was in 6th grade.................. :up: :up:

[runco]

Good to see a little more traction this year than last year. 

 

I admit prior to 9/11, I paid attention to Pearl Harbor day, but not like I do post 9/11.  When I got married back in 2002, I made sure we went to Hawaii and the first full day, we were at the memorial.  It is so surreal is all that I can say.  When we celebrated our 10 year reunion, we went back to Hawaii with the kids, and I paid dearly for a singe day to Oahu since Oahu was not really own our destination, but I wanted my kids to see Pear Harbor.  Still so surreal. 

 

This is the introduction video that I saw in 2012:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK4_07cfVPs

Edited December 7, 2015 by runco

[runco]

Bump for 2016!

Fox News at 6am had a piece on it and guest.  I wonder if any of the Left Networks will?

 

Edited December 7, 2016 by runco

[DaveTN]

      

[peejman]

75 years.  

[kieefer]

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/194591461" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[KahrMan]

https://player.vimeo.com/video/194591461

[kieefer]

3 minutes ago, KahrMan said:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/194591461

Thanks

[Wingshooter]

[Dirtshooter]

Thanks to all the vets that served. I have a little known fact about the Arizona. I lived in Laurel, Ms for 40+ years and the Veterans Memorial Museum in Laurel has a piece of the Arizona about 18"x18" full of bullet holes and according to a good friend who helped the museum acquire this piece said that only 1 other part of the Arizona was at another museum. My wife has an uncle who is 91 and was a WWII Navy Vet in the Pacific and I have a good friend that was a Bataan death march survivor who is in his 90's. These men are definetly a part of the greatest generation. As has been said, I don't think U.S. history is taught in the same way as it was 40 years ago either. We as parents and grandparents need to teach our kids the meaning of December 7th, 1941, June 6th, 1944 and other important history before it is forgotten.