A Date Which Will Live In Infamy
Dear Editor,
“Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941– a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”
Those words, spoken by FDR to a joint meeting of the House and Senate, was the opening of a speech that led the United States to declaring war on the Empire of Japan. An interesting fact is that Japan did not declare war on the U.S. until after the attack.
It’s also said that Admiral Yamamoto commented that waking the sleeping giant will bring about great vengeance within six months. On June 4-7, 1942, the battle of Midway took place in which Japan lost almost all their carriers and brought about the turning point in the Battle of the Pacific.
I lost an uncle I never knew I had in the invasion of Manila. He survived the Bataan Death March and died on a Japanese Hell Ship, which were freighters Japan used to transport POWs without markings indicating they were carrying POWs. One was the Arisan Maru, an unmarked freighter carrying 1,781 prisoners of war, which was sunk by an American submarine that did not know it was carrying POWs. Nine men survived the sinking, three of whom were later killed or recaptured. That happened nine years to the day before my birthday and I never knew about it until about 25 years ago.
God bless those true Americans who died on Dec. 7 and in the war that followed. I render a hand salute those men and women that died and those that survived. God bless you all!
Carpe diem,
Alan Marshall
Thank you Alan, Thank you to all our Veterans, and Thank you FDR! FDR played perhaps the greatest leadership role ever in our Nation when he pulled our Country together after the Pearl Harbor Atrocity!
Alan: As has been stated many times, “they were the greatest generation.” I wonder whether our young people today would rise to a crisis such as WW II, volunteer for the armed forces, actually go into battle and make the sacrifices that our fathers, uncles and fathers-in-law did. My father had 30 missions over Germany in a B-24 Liberator, my father-in-law was an infantry man in Germany, was captured, taken to a POW camp and weighed 75 pounds when he was liberated. I had uncles in Patton’s tank corps, a Navy Sea Bee constructing air fields on Pacific Islands while under enemy fire. They all came home; married their sweet harts, went to work and built the greatest nation the world has ever seen. They never bragged or even talked about their war experiences. Were the circumstances the same today, would our young people respond as well? I have serious doubts.
Alas, Alan, the US had broken the Japanese code, and having already declared economic war on Japan via embargo and stealing all Japanese financial assets in the US…well, FDR kind of massaged Pearl Harbor into happening and almost certainly knew ahead of time. British intelligence & our main code-breaker thought he knew. FDR involved us in WWII (with scant Congressional approval) with all 4 feet well before Pearl Harbor.
Government lying to us didn’t start with Fauci/Biden.
Healey, I will reserve both comment and judgement but will agree with your Fauci/Biden comment.
What I will say is the rubber meets the road and the bullets start flying, the OVERWHELMING number of my Brothers and Sisters know more then you give them credit for and while they care about God and Country they count those same Brothers and Sisters priority one above all else, to include themselves.
Alan as you I lost relatives in WW2 and to this day it amazes me that so few people today even remember December 7. I know as a Christian I’m not supposed to hold a grudge but I still have harsh feelings toward Japanese people not for them personally but for the sins of their ancestors. May they all have a special place Just not in my heaven
God Bless all those brave lads, including your uncle.
Our snowflakes complain about getting their feelings hurt. Your uncle’s generation never complained about much more severe privations, real and painful grievances.
They were better men.
Alan, that’s the first letter of yours that I didn’t find funny or oppose for some reason. I thank your uncle for his service. And you for yours, if you served.
Thank You Chris.
Because I have had relatives serve in conflicts that have helped make this country great from the Revolution to Vietnam I felt obligated to serve also. I did 20 years in parachute infantry and special operations. I have a son who served in the Marines and currently have 2 grandsons serving, one a Marine and one about to deploy to Poland as an Army combat medic.
I have proudly lead men in combat situations and even had one who started out as a scared17 year old rifleman under fire to go on to become a 1SG. He thoroughly embarrassed me at his retirement by pointing me out as the one who was responsible for his career.
There are plenty of others out there like me that the American people don’t know how regardless of how old and broken we are, we will pick up that rifle and do it again…proudly and gladly.
AATW (Airborne All The Way)
Rangers Lead the Way
De Oppressor Liber (To Free the Oppressed)
The morning of the 7th, I took in another article about the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
In December, 1941, my father joined the Marine Corp. I did not see him until late 1945. He came back in one piece, but he died young, and unhappy. My father in law was a bombadier who flew bombing missions over Germany. He also returned unhappy. We still have is uniform and insignia.
The men & women who fought in WWII did NOT fight for what we have now. Now, I don’t think our military and country would have the will to fight such a war (or perhaps any war) to defend our country. The LEFTIST govt we have in Washington, and downtown, is destroying the Republic.
When I grew up, most respected our local and national govt. I had FDR, Harry, and Ike. Now look at what we send to Washington and downtown.
Could not have said it any better brother. I seriously wonder if I would have joined up today.
You’re right, miller. The Federal Government deserved to be respected for most of the last century. Now, not so much.
The angst that warriors have to deal with after combat is something I cannot imagine. No wonder they find happiness so elusive. The least we can do is express some gratitude.
Freedom isn’t free.