Seventy-Eight Years Ago Today

| December 7, 2019

The photo below says all that needs be said.

For those who might not recognize the photo, that’s the USS Shaw at Pearl Harbor, HI, on 7 December 1941.

Enjoy the weekend, everyone. But while doing so, if you’re so inclined maybe say a prayer for those whose lives ended on this day 78 years ago.

Category: Historical, We Remember

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HMCS(FMF) ret

Here’s the Wiki entry on the USS Shaw – she earned 11 battle stat for her service in World War II:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Shaw_(DD-373)

HMCS(FMF) ret

Should read “stars” not “stat”

MustangCryppie

That is absolutely amazing and mind boggling! The photo of her after the attack just makes my jaw drop to the floor to think that she was repaired and fought through the rest of the war earning 11 BATTLE STARS! She was just a pile of scrap!

Man! I would have been so proud to be one of her crew whipping some Japanese ass!

Sapper3307

Arizona survivors are now down to single digits.

Ex-PH2

There’s a piece on Arizona coming up later.

David

I read there are only 3, and all want to be buried with their families. The man who was 4th will be the last interred on the ship – think he’s being interred today?

USAFRetired

According to the article on foxnews, that is correct. He’s being interred in a sunset ceremony today.

A Proud Infidel®™️

*Slow Salute *

MustangCryppie

Rest in peace, shipmates.

We still remember.

LDO LCDR, USN(Ret) and…

PACFLT Sailor to the core.

The Other Whitey

If anyone has Amazon, I recommend “Beyond Glory.” It’s a one-man show by Stephen Lang, with Medal of Honor citations read by Gary Sinise. Lang portrays eight recipients from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, the first of whom is John Finn.

https://youtu.be/m53HkHidk1k

MustangCryppie

John Finn!

I met John at a Pearl Harbor commemoration many years ago.

I used to go to the PH ceremonies every year and John was, hands down, the best speaker ever.

He was a salty dog, just talking about his time in the USN, Kaneohe (where his MOH action took place), and his thoughts on that horrible day. He told us up front that the head ranger had told him to just keep talking and that the ranger would tell him when to stop. When that happened, the ranger was roundly booed by all!

After the ceremony, John held court at the visitor center. Just sitting there chatting with whoever came by. He and I bonded as fellow Sailors. Talked about the aviation community, Hawaii bases (“Barbers Point had a great chow hall!” was his comment about the Hawaii base where I did one of my flight tours.). A couple of Sailors swapping sea stories. Down to earth. No airs.

At one point, I told John that he seemed to me that he was a real “old sea dog”. He reacted by losing his ever present smile and asking me in a serious voice why I thought that. I revealed to him that I had noticed that every woman that came within 5 feet of him had to, was required to give him a hug and a kiss.

Smile came back. He just beamed at me.

He told me that I should come by and visit with him if I was ever in California. A couple of years later, I met a good friend of his who said that John meant every word. He got visitors all the time and LOVED it.

I’ll have to see how Lang portrays, if he even comes anywhere close to capturing his personality.

A legend in the aviation ordnance community, a bit of a hound for the ladies, and a real hero.

I was so honored to meet him.

Roh-Dog

Freedom has a price, most Men are beneficiaries, some Men pay.
Never forget.

5th/77th FA

A Day that made Americans of all races, creeds, and backgrounds come together and defeat 2 enemies with their eyes on, at the least, regional if not world domination. And guess what, troll, a goodly number of them were white boys from the deep South. They and a bunch of black guys from the deep South bled and died to give you the freedom to come on here and play seagull.

If this linkie works, it’s the story of my high school Principal, a Pearl Harbor Survivor from the USS Maryland. Fred Johnson transferred to the Maryland from the USS West Virginia just a few weeks before the attack. Most of the guys in school did not know of Mr. Johnson’s role then. He was a very humble, unassuming man that was firm but fair. He is still alive today at 104.

https://www.rockdalenewtoncitizen.com/news/georgia-vet-recalls-horror-of-pearl-harbor-attack/article_572f5b53-6a65-542f-bd73-0625487aa70c.html

“…that such men lived!”