We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:07:41 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification [Denizen Commentary - Kat] My Uncle Donald was ten years old when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He died two years ago from pneumonia. He was in and out of the hospital before that. While he was in the hospital, I went to visit him. We didn't have much in common I thought, so subjects of discussion were hard to come by. He was most often watching college basketball when I came. I was never into basketball. This particular day was December 7, 2004. I realized that he must have been alive at the time of the attacks so I asked... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html Fri, 07 Dec 2007 03:42:11 -0600 My father was in Brazil at the time. My mother passed away and while I heard of her time after the war, when they were stationed in Germany, I never asked her where she was or what she was doing when Pearl Harbor was attacked. I regret that now...thank you for telling your uncle's story. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67392 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67392 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:25:55 -0600 They were in California. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67391 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67391 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:24:03 -0600 It is the difference in time zones that allowed the 'happy morning at church'. 8am in Hawaii is 2pm in New York, 11am in California. So, it was after lunch that most of America learned of the attack. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67389 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67389 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:06:24 -0600 Thanks for sharing this Kat. I've never asked my Dad his thoughts on that day, which is funny when you think how intently we've discussed the military and history and WWII as a subject. We've never discussed it in a personal way. It never occurred to me because he was just seven years old. I'll have to find out how he felt that day. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67378 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67378 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:44:13 -0600 It's exactly these kinds of everyday, normal American lives' stories that make history so vibrant. Although my grandparents, mom and dad told me, I haven't asked any of my remaining aunts and uncles what they were doing when they got the news of Pearl Harbor. I know they'll be able to tell me in exquisite detail. Thanks for the reminder. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67376 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67376 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:02:14 -0600 Heh. Armorer, I kind of thought that it was a bit "off" with all the "happy" part. Hoped it wasn't just me. LOL Damien. It is very true. My uncle was a boy scout. the end part of this story is that he went on to collect scrap iron, old pots and pans, tires, nylons etc from the neighborhood folks and also sold war bonds. he received a certificate in January 1945 for selling the most war bonds in his region. It went on to inspire him to join the army in 1948, even though the war was technically "over". he was part of the army of occupation in Germany for a little over two years before serving in Korea. My Uncle spoke German. the back part of this story: his father was a German immigrant who spoke with a heavy german accent his entire life. They lived in a "German" community where more than half the people still spoke German. Even in the lead up to the war, my Uncle said my Grandfather was determined that they were "Americans". Of course, his immediate family had been killed or "disappeared" by a paramilitary group in Bavaria shortly after he left in 1921. So, it is no wonder he wanted to disown his heritage. I may have mentioned it here before, but my grandfather was an "illegal" alien. He stowed away on a boat with one of his cousins to get here. Of course, he later became a naturalized citizen. but it is interesting juxtaposition to modern day thoughts on "aliens". http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67373 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67373 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:59:20 -0600 Heh. Gotta love comment editing functions around here. Tools belong in the shed, not in the comments section of a fantastic milblog. Kat, this is a great story. These events, whether the individuals who remember them participated in them directly or not, shaped how that generation lived the rest of their lives. It's important to remember their experiences as well, because it's not just the Pearl Harbour veterans who won the war, it was the rest of their countrymen who learned of the event this way, and then braced themselves and advanced to 1945. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67370 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67370 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:35:43 -0600 [If the comment that used to reside in the section had been in the H&I, I'd have left it up, because it was mostly self-parody. But this isn't that kind of post, so I elided the off-topic drivel. -the Armorer] http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67347 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/12/december_7_1941.html#comment-67347 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 01:11:46 -0600