December 7th, 1941

[Ragman]

A date which will live in infamy.

WE MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER!


Pearl Harbor: U.S. remembers a 'date which will live in infamy' - latimes.com

 

[aristotle]

Sometimes, events like WW2 seem so distant, we forget how ordinary lives were affected. My Dad(George) and his brother(Woodrow) were both schoolteachers at the time of America's entry into WW2 on Dec 7th, 1941. Just 4 weeks later, my Dad was drafted into the US Army and served four years, mostly in the Pacific campaign against the Japanese. My Dad returned to the States unscathed and in good health. His brother was not so lucky.

Woodrow was captured by Nazi forces at the Battle of the Bulge in Dec 1944 and taken prisoner-of-war. Woodrow was held at Stalag 11B in Fallingbostel. Prussia. (Work Camp 53-09). This POW camp was liberated by advancing Allied armies in April 1945. Woodrow weighed 85 LBS when freed from the Nazis. His health destroyed, he returned home to Pike County, KY where he dies a few years later. My Dad lived another 62 years after separation from military service. This generation is almost all gone.

 

[layoutshooter]

My Dad is still with us, a vet of the "CBI" with the Mars Task Force. My wife's Dad and Uncle both served. Her Dad in Alaska, her uncle was taken prisoner on Batan. He survived the death march. They are both now dead. 4 of my uncles served, all survived the war but are no longer with us now. Several other relatives served but never came home. My Dad's hunting buddy of over 50 years was a medic in the South Pacific. He still hunts with us.

 

[aristotle]

Here's a quick link to POW archives:

http://aad.archives.gov/aad/display...row+w+phillips&cat=GP24&dt=466&tf=F&bc=,sl,sd

Scroll down the linked page and click on "View Record" .... shows his unit as 112th Infantry.

 

[layoutshooter]

Interesting site. Found my wife's uncle's records there.

 

[Ragman]

I am proud to call the man that raised me, Dad. He was my hero.

That generation was truly "The Greatest Generation".

 

[layoutshooter]

Every generation of men have do their duty since. They were just ridiculed for it. Even though the enemy they faced was as bad or worse as the one my Dad and your Dad faced.

 

[Ragman]

Every generation of men have do their duty since. They were just ridiculed for it. Even though the enemy they faced was as bad or worse as the one my Dad and your Dad faced.

No ridicule from me.

 

[layoutshooter]

No ridicule from me.

Did not say you did.

EVERY generation of MEN have done their duty for over 200 years. There is NO generation that has done more than those before or since. The rest is the press spouting off. MANY before and since have stood on the wall defending us against those who would destroy. Sorry if that offends some, not really.

I am a PROUD "Cold War Vet". MY enemy killed more, murdered more, than Hitler and Tojo, COMBINED! It are how it are! I am PROUD of what I, and many like me, did. We stood the line when most would not. WE did NOT run to Canada. as many COWARDS DID, to smoke dope. WE did not hide from our responsibilities. WE did our duty as asked.

 

[cheri1122]

Wow - have been listening to 'Winter of the World' [the 2nd of the Century trilogy, by Ken Follet] and just got to Dec, 1942 last night - perfect timing.
I wonder if Americans are less opposed to war because we have actually seen so little of its' horrors?

 

[aristotle]

Wow - have been listening to 'Winter of the World' [the 2nd of the Century trilogy, by Ken Follet] and just got to Dec, 1942 last night - perfect timing.
I wonder if Americans are less opposed to war because we have actually seen so little of its' horrors?

The United States was reluctant to enter WW2 until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. When military attacks reach the homeland, reluctance evaporates. It's doubtful a successful military attack could reach the US mainland as our defensive shield is nearly impenetrable. Perhaps, a cyberattack could render our defenses vulnerable. Is there any doubt what our response would be to a direct attack?

Hiroshima - YouTube