pqr Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 (edited) "Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific."-FDR The Navy and Marine Corps suffered a total of 2,896 casualties of which 2,117 were deaths (Navy 2,008, Marines 109) and 779 wounded (Navy 710, Marines 69). The Army (as of midnight, 10 December) lost 228 killed or died of wounds, 113 seriously wounded and 346 slightly wounded. In addition, at least 57 civilians were killed and nearly as many seriously injured. The British. Dutch and Chinese were also hit as were our bases in the Phillipines. Edited December 7, 2009 by pqr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Fairy Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Thanks for the reminder. Note to the one star rater of this thread: You suck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneRoomSchoolHouse Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Thanks to all our Veterans!! We, here in America, have freedom of religion (among other freedoms) and freedom to homeschool because of their sacrifices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 I will not forget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenL Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Thank you for posting this. It was my first thought when I wrote the date on the the whiteboard for ds this morning. Imagine where we'd be without the brave souls who fought in WWII... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyBlueLobsters Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Thanks for the reminder. Note to the one star rater of this thread: You suck. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pqr Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 4 of the 15 citations for the Medal of Honor earned that day. Well worth the time to read and remember. WARD, JAMES RICHARD Rank and Organization: Seaman First Class, U.S. Navy. Born: 10 September 1921, Springfield, Ohio. Entered Service at: Springfield, Ohio. Citation: For conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage and complete disregard of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. When it was seen that the U.S.S. Oklahoma was going to capsize and the order was given to abandon ship, Ward remained in a turret holding a flashlight so the remainder of the turret crew could see to escape, thereby sacrificing his own life. TOMICH, PETER Rank and Organization: Chief Watertender, U.S. Navy. Born: 3 June 1893, Prolog, Austria. Accredited To: New Jersey. Citation: For distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, and extraordinary courage and disregard of his own safety, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor by the Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. Although realizing that the ship was capsizing, as a result of enemy bombing and torpedoing, Tomich remained at his post in the engineering plant of the U.S.S. Utah, until he saw that all boilers were secured and all fireroom personnel had left their stations, and by so doing lost his own life . SCOTT, ROBERT R. Rank and Organization:: Machinist's Mate First Class, U.S. Navy. Born: 13 July 1915, Massillon, Ohio. Accredited to Ohio. Citation: For conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage and complete disregard of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. The compartment, in the U.S.S. California, in which the air compressor, to which Scott was assigned as his battle station, was flooded as the result of a torpedo hit. The remainder of the personnel evacuated that compartment but Scott refused to leave, saying words to the effect "This is my station and I will stay and give them air as long as the guns are going.'' PHARRIS, JACKSON CHARLES Rank and Organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. California. Place and Date Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941. Entered Service at: California. Born: 26 June 1912, Columbus, Ga. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while attached to the U.S.S. California during the surprise enemy Japanese aerial attack on Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941. In charge of the ordnance repair party on the third deck when the first Japanese torpedo struck almost directly under his station, Lt. (then Gunner) Pharris was stunned and severely injured by the concussion which hurled him to the overhead and back to the deck. Quickly recovering, he acted on his own initiative to set up a hand-supply ammunition train for the antiaircraft guns. With water and oil rushing in where the port bulkhead had been torn up from the deck, with many of the remaining crewmembers overcome by oil fumes, and the ship without power and listing heavily to port as a result of a second torpedo hit, Lt. Pharris ordered the shipfitters to counterflood. Twice rendered unconscious by the nauseous fumes and handicapped by his painful injuries, he persisted in his desperate efforts to speed up the supply of ammunition and at the same time repeatedly risked his life to enter flooding compartments and drag to safety unconscious shipmates who were gradually being submerged in oil. By his inspiring leadership, his valiant efforts and his extreme loyalty to his ship and her crew, he saved many of his shipmates from death and was largely responsible for keeping the California in action during the attack. His heroic conduct throughout this first eventful engagement of World War 11 reflects the highest credit upon Lt. Pharris and enhances the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Thanks for posting this. Thank you to all those who stand in harm's way to protect our freedoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 He got his naval orders in November sending him to Pearl Harbor and he arrived just days before the attack. My grandparents didn't know if they had lost their only child or not until a postcard ("sailor mail") arrived that had been written/dated Dec. 8th. No personal message was allowed, as it was just a pre-printed postcard with some choices to select to let the folks back home know if you were injured/hospitalized or not. I'm not sure exactly when my grandparents got the postcard with the good news that their son had survived and wasn't injured but it must have seemed like forever to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Yes, we need to make sure that our children don't forget. We will take our children over to visit with grandpa; he wasn't at Pearl Harbor but he served in the Navy during WWII. There are fewer and fewer veterans left living. Our paper interviewed two. I had my children read them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Thanks for the reminder. Note to the one star rater of this thread: You suck. Note to Mamabegood: YOU ROCK!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyinNNV Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Thanks for the reminder. Note to the one star rater of this thread: You suck. Ditto mamabegood!:glare: Pearl Harbor-Never Forget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeOnTheRanch Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 My husband's grandfather was a Pearl Harbor survivor. Thank you for posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Thanks for this, pqr!!! We definitely should never forget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Note to the one star rater of this thread: You suck. :001_smile:Too true!! Too true!! The thread is back now at the 5-stars that it deserves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Thank you for the reminder! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Thank you. You have me in grateful tears as I read of these brave soldiers. With the pending increase of troops in Afganistan, and the distinct possibility that a teen from our church, Devon, will be going there, I am feeling extra-sensitive and grateful re our service men and women. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Fairy Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Note to Mamabegood: YOU ROCK!!! Right back at ya, Girl! :001_smile:Too true!! Too true!! The thread is back now at the 5-stars that it deserves. Good. :001_smile: Because really, other than just to be nasty, why one star a thread about remembering Pearl Harbor? It's insulting to the people that lost their lives in that cowardly attack. :mad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Thanks for the reminder. Note to the one star rater of this thread: You suck. :iagree: thanks, pqr! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyndie Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Thank you so much for this post and the citations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I cried for when I toured the Pearl Harbor Memorial. I will not forget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My3Boys Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 (edited) My dad was a survivor. He was stationed on the base. His barracks (sp?) was bombed and he was the only survivor, because he ran out a few minutes before to see the planes coming in. He said they "didn't sound right" and went to look. A few minutes later, all his buddies inside were dead. He was only 19 and had to help with rescue and recovery. He never talked about that part of it. Unfortunately, he was killed by a drunk driver 18 years later. I pray we are never that unprepared and naive again. God bless our veterans and all those currently serving, including my ds21 who is basic training. Edited December 9, 2009 by My3Boys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMDRAD Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Thanks for posting this reminder to us all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate CA Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Thanks, pqr. :patriot::patriot::patriot: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rookie Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 in Pearl Harbor. We are so grateful to all who serve. Thank you pqr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.