The first strike at Pearl Harbor happened at 7:53 a.m.- the second at 8:55. By 9:55 it was all over.
2,403 dead -188 destroyed planes - 8 damaged or destroyed battleships.
I have no comparisons in my life to even begin to identify with the horror and terror experienced by those who were there on that day. Nor can I imagine the sacrifices each American made for the 'war effort' back home.
Every once in a while mom would talk some of those days. Mom was just 11 years old when the attack on Pearl Harbor happened. She would talk about how they would pull down the window shades at night so that no light could reflect outside of their house in fears of a bombing raid. I never could quite understand why they would fear that living on a farm in northwest Minnesota as it just did not make sense to me that they would be targeted versus a major city but it was the thought process of the day.
They would scrimp and safe on everything. Old machinery long past their useful days were gathered for scrap iron. Shortages of everything was experienced by most in this country. Mom would tell of how someone in the family had gone into Canada and were amazed to see many of the items readily available that they couldn't get in the U.S. - silk nylons, tires & cake flour were the three items she usually mentioned.
They smuggled some cake flour back across the border and she never did figure out how one of the neighbor ladies found out about that when she came over and asked to borrow some flour. I imagine they gave her some but don't recall if they did or not but knowing mom I could not fathom them turning away anyone as mom never seemed to do that when we were growing up. She had a very tender heart - you just had to get past the outside shell.
Tom Brokaw called them the Greatest Generation. The losses suffered were astronomical. By war's end 408,439 service members gave their lives in the war. Of those in our family that served we were the fortunate ones - they all came home. There were close calls...dad's brother Ray was a gunner in the Pacific Islands and the day after he was relieved that person was killed manning that gun post. I wish I knew more about the trials and tribulations of the war through my relatives' eyes but they are now all gone and the stories and memories are lost.
16,112,566 members of the armed services in World War II
As of September 2009 approximately 2,079,000 American vets from this era were alive. Approximately 850 World War II veterans die each day with the medium age being 86.
Today...take a moment to remember those who served this country in World War II.
...lest we forget
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