Valor Friday

1942 Wartime propaganda poster
Tomorrow is the day we pause to remember Pearl Harbor. More than 80 years have passed, and while most alive today weren’t around to remember it, we haven’t forgotten. While there are some days in American history that will never be forgotten (the “Shot heard round the world” on 19 April 1775, the attack on Fort Sumter on 12 April 1861, Armistice Day 11 November 1918, the bombing of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945, or the Apollo 11 landing on 20 July 1969), few will actually remember the exact date like we do for 4 July 1776, 7 December 1941, or 11 September 2001.
My state had Pearl Harbor Survivor special issue license plates. It’s been probably 20 years since I’ve seen one in the wild. For those who did survive the sinking of USS Arizona, I always found it touching that sailors and Marines who made it off the ship were allowed to have their remains interred with their brothers when their time finally came.
Here’s some of the tales of the men that fought that day;
- Ensign Joseph Taussig – Officer of the Deck on USS Nevada (BB-36). Earned the Navy Cross that day as he led his ship (having graduated Annapolis less than a year prior) into action, the only American battleship to get underway during the attack. Lost his leg for it, and refused to leave his post until forcibly removed.
- Captain Mervyn Bennion and Messman First Class Doris Miller – Captain and cook respectively of USS West Virginia (BB-48). Bennion was mortally wounded at his post while leading the ship, ordering his men to leave him behind. Miller, who came to Bennion’s aid amidst the battle, then famously manned an anti-aircraft gun (perhaps downing an enemy plane) without having any training on the weapon. He then spent the rest of the day helping evacuate the wounded from his ship. Bennion posthumously received the Medal of Honor and Miller received the Navy Cross (the first black man to earn it).
- Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Howell Forgy, Chaplain Corps – Ship’s chaplain for USS New Orleans (CA-32). Was aboard ship that Sunday morning preparing his sermon when the ship was rocked by enemy fire. As a non-combatant, he was forbidden from taking up arms. So instead he inspired the men with the encouraging words of “Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!” It inspired a popular song too.
- Motor Machinists Mate 2nd Class Marcus Poston – Was the first air-to-air kill of the war when his Piper Cub, which he was flying as a civilian, was attacked by Japanese Zeros over Oahu.
- Lieutenant Clarence Dickinson – A Naval Aviator flying into Oahu from USS Enterprise in an SBD Dauntless dive bomber. Coming into the already fierce battle, Dickinson earned the Navy Cross for diving into action, ultimately losing his gunner, Radioman First Class William Miller, and had to bail out of his plane after being shot down.
Category: Historical, Valor, We Remember, WWII
Never Forget.
Remember, Remember the 7th of December 🇺🇸
I never forget.
It was the day my enlistment became official after I swore, and it was the second time after MEPS.
Therefore, after my delayed enlistment started some six months later, every other year, it was my pay grade pay raise date for 23 years.
My dad was in the Army on Dec 7, 1941.
Mine was in the Reserves. His 201 says he was activated Dec. 8, 1941.
My Gramps had signed on to the Guard when they federalized for “one year” of training in Feb 1941. When Pearl Harbor happened, they were still in Louisiana for the famous Maneuvers there. He’d already turned down the offer for OCS, because that would have required him to sign a longer hitch. He wanted nothing more than to finish his year and go back home to living life. Three months and a wake up for him, and Yamamoto had to go wreck that. Turned it into “the duration of the war, plus six.”
My dad was in from 15 May 1941 until 20 Oct 1945. Nearly all in the 12th Army Air Force. Hard to think that in those days you were in for the duration.
Warrior Heroes…One and All. I’ve related the story here in the past of one of my personal heroes that was there. Mr. Fred Johnson was our high school teacher, retiring a few years after I graduated. Firm, but fair with those that needed a little bit of counseling from the “Board” of Education. I’ll post his story here again.
https://www.rockdalenewtoncitizen.com/news/georgia-vet-recalls-horror-of-pearl-harbor-attack/article_572f5b53-6a65-542f-bd73-0625487aa70c.html
His obit…Rest In Peace, Mr. Fred…
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/macon/name/fred-johnson-obituary?id=16999033
As an aside to December 7th, have any of our Navy friends read Chaplain Howell Forgy’s book “And Pass the Ammunition“?
It’s quite expensive used. I don’t think it’s in print any more. And the two closest librarys showing up in WorldCat don’t loan it out.
WorldCat: https://search.worldcat.org/
This Warrior was laid to rest, at home, today.
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/sailor-to-be-buried-in-california-nearly-83-years-after-pearl-harbor-attack/