“A Date Which Will Live In Infamy”
Seventy-three years ago at the time of this article’s publication – 1248 UCT-5, AKA Eastern Standard Time; or 0748 UTC-10, AKA Hawaii-Aleutian Time – the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor began. That attack (along with Germany and Italy’s declaration of war on the USA four days later) led to the USA’s formal entry into World War II.
In human terms, the cost of the attack was substantial, but perhaps lower than you might first think. A total of 2,535 individuals (2,403 US military, 68 civilians, and 64 Japanese military) were killed during the attack. Wounded totaled 1,218 – 1,178 US military and 35 civilians. One Japanese sailor – ENS Kazuo Sakamaki – was taken POW.
As Jonn’s article earlier today indicated, however, the physical and psychological effects of the attack were massive. The Navy’s Pacific Fleet was severely damaged; only great good luck (all US Pacific carriers were at sea or otherwise away from Pearl on 7 December, and the Japanese inexplicably chose not to target the oil storage facilities at Pearl – plus the incredibly one-sided engagement at Midway six months later) allowed us to contest the Pacific during the first year or so of the war.
The psychological effect of the attack was perhaps even greater. Yamamoto was correct in fearing that the attack on Pearl “awakened a great, sleeping giant”. The “terrible resolve” part of his observation was likewise true – and was manifested in the massive destruction inflicted on the Japanese homeland and civilian fleet during the latter parts of the war.
The passage of time and subsequent events have healed most wounds from that day. Rather than enemies, the US and Japan are today firm allies. Time has also claimed the majority of those who fought at Pearl Harbor on both sides. It has dulled both societies’ memories of that day as well.
Still: as you go about your activities this Sunday, perhaps find time to pause. Take time to remember another Sunday exactly 73 years ago today. If you’re so inclined, say a prayer for those lost that day.
And while you’re at it, maybe add a second prayer – that we never again see such an event. Twice has been two times too often.
Category: Historical, We Remember
Barry’s reaction would have been: FORE!!!
Hondo…thank you for this. It is always a day I remember those relatives I never got to meet and those many who returned home. My father who enlisted the next day and so many others. As I wrote on the earlier thread from Jonn, there is one man left in our church, of the original three WWII veterans alive when I first started attending 14 years ago. He is a Navy veteran and was a crew member on the B-24 Liberator, PB4Y Privateer in the VPB-118 and VPB-119 Squadrons. A great and humble man he is. He is the only one left around here I know personally and I do admire him. He loves to talk about his love of flying then but never about any of the other things he sometimes starts to say and then stops. I am trying to get him to let my audio record his history then and I have found many photographs online for him about his Squadrons and their actions and members. He is still reticent to speak about all of it but I am hoping due to his age he will grant me permission to interview him for the sake of his and our history. History which even he agrees with me, shouldn’t be lost.
To my mind, we DID have a second event like that, on 9/11. It is to be regretted that President Bush didn’t try and mobilize the nation in the same manner as FDR. I truly believe we lost a great opportunity to rise up and destroy islamic terrorism and dig it’s roots up and watch them wither and die.
We could have, and SHOULD have done that, but we didn’t, and so 13 years later we are still engaged in a series of what HG Wells referred to as “Little Wars” that drag on and on with no clear strategy nor any sense of victory in sight.
But I digress. One thing that I am still proud of, is that the US Navy will bury any Arizona survivors aboard her wreck. The only caveat is that their remains must be cremated.
Divers take the urn carrying the ahses down into the wreck, where there’s a special area set aside for them. These brave sailors can rest with their shipmates for all eternity.
I think that that’s a very special honor, and one that’s well deserved.
Um, AW1 Tim . . . maybe you should re-read the last sentence of my article. (smile)
Anyone who has been to the Memorial knows that the ship is still leaking oil after all these years.
The legend is that when the last of her shipmates comes home to her that the oil will finally stop.
I am a PACFLT Sailor through and through. You can take a Sailor out of the PAC, but you can’t take the PAC out of the Sailor. I had two tours in Hawaii. One at Barbers Point and one at Makalapa PACFLT Headquarters.
I am a ham radio operator and volunteered as an operator on board Missouri. I spent a lot of time standing on the bow of Missouri or on shore Ford Island looking at the Memorial. Arizona is like a church to me. No less than places like the 20th Maine’s positions at Gettysburg, the Cornfield and Bloody Lane at Antietam, the Bloody Angle at Spotsylvania. Having stood at all those places, they’re all like Pearl.
One automatically becomes quiet and introspective, perhaps wondering how one would have acted in those events, reflecting on the suffering and bravery of our brothers and sisters in arms.
RIP shipmates. I know I won’t ever forget.
MC,
I re-enlisted on the “deck” of the Arizona Memorial (1991). It was “special”, in that holy, quiet way. One of the most memorable re-enlistments I ever participated in. And yes, I do remember the oil still leaking out of the Arizona. I still have the flag that we flew over the deck on that day.
B Woodman…I didn’t know that happened in the Navy. I don’t know if I could have stood at attention to accept reenlistment there without tears. What an honor that must have been for you. That is the stuff of lifelong dear memories there. Like MustangCryppie wrote above, I have been there and stood quietly. It is also to me a solemn, holy place. The breeze and sounds of the harbor, seemed to me to bring quiet, faint voices from those men of honor saying, “Never forget us, never forget what we gave or the great United States of America we gave all for.” I never will, nor any of us here. I visited my WWII friend and fellow church member yesterday after church, he can’t come as often as he use to. I think I’ll go visit him again today. Just to see him and say thank you, again. It is often hard to see him, though it is always a joy. I am always caught fighting a lump in my throat as I look at him and listen to his cheerful voice and hug him when we part.
Didn’t fully read your comment before I posted mine. Almost a repeat, I’m afraid. Forgive.
AW1 Tim…I agree with you. I too wish Bush had declared an all out war on terrorists and terrorism worldwide with the resolve of FDR. Perhaps at that time our nation would have stood behind such an endeavor. As time has passed though and the American ill-informed, majority populace have been lulled into a false sense of security, being told all is well and being taken care of, it would be impossible now. Unless, God forbid, another attack such as 9/11 should happen. My fear now is from my belief that another attack will be far better planned and will make 9/11 look tame on comparison.
I’ve been there in uniform, and later, while living on Oahu, visited several times. Actually got to meet some vets that were there. The fuel oil was still leaking. The virtual blood of those there on that day still flows.
I’ve heard it said that the oil coming to the surface is called “Sailor’s Tears.” (Maybe our Navy folks could confirm or deny that?)
And keep a sharp eye on anything to do with the Arizona. Environmental groups have tried several times to get her declared an environmental hazard and a cleanup site.
Multiple accounts I’ve seen indicate they’re called “tears of the Arizona” or “black tears”, PN.
http://www.history.com/news/5-facts-about-pearl-harbor-and-the-uss-arizona
Thank you for clarifying (and correcting) that, Hondo!
Hondo, I think the “sleeping giant” line that’s attributed to Yamamoto is from the movie “Tora, Tora, Tora”. It’s unclear whether he actually said that, but it’s possible he said something similar. Despite being the architect of the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Yamamoto was targeted for assassination by ultra-nationalists who didn’t like that he voiced skepticism about beating the USA in a war.
As for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) not pressing the attack, that’s a subject of great debate. One of the big factors for Japanese admirals deciding against a 3rd bombing wave was that our forces were shooting Japanese planes out of the skies very well during the 2nd wave.
That performance likely saved not only the oil storage, but also the repair facilities that would return many of the ships damaged that day to fight the Japanese, and the cryptographic unit which would not only decrypt the Midway trap that the IJN were trying to lay, but later hand our leadership the exact tour dates and locations for one Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto.
From the book Reluctant Admiral (via wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isoroku_Yamamoto%27s_sleeping_giant_quote ), here is what Yamamoto actually wrote:
“A military man can scarcely pride himself on having ‘smitten a sleeping enemy’; it is more a matter of shame, simply, for the one smitten. I would rather you made your appraisal after seeing what the enemy does, since it is certain that, angered and outraged, he will soon launch a determined counterattack.”
I agree that it is questionable whether the “sleeping giant” quote – as generally phrased and attributed to Yamamoto – is historically exact. It may well have been the creation of the screenwriters for “Tora Tora Tora” vice his actual words after the battle. However, most historians appear to believe that it accurately portrays Yamamoto’s opinion.
In that way, it’s much like Churchill’s famous purported “rum, sodomy, and the lash” quote. When asked once if he’d ever actually said that, Churchill’s reply reportedly was that he had not – but he wished he had. (smile)
I believe one reason they didn’t launch a third wave was due in part that they didn’t know where our carriers were. It could have Midway a little early for them (at least in their minds anyway).