NavyBillsFan Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 The day keeps slipping away just as fast as the men and women who were there that dreadful day. 7 December 1941. I’ve been in the Navy for 19 years now and seen 2 wars (one in the Army and Navy), Bosnia twice on the ground, Haiti twice on the ground, 2 tours in Iraq after the war, 2 in Cuba, 1 in Afghan, and 8 sea deployments. I can always hold up my head and say that I did my share and I still pay for it physically and mentally. I WANTED TO BE THERE! I’ve lost a couple friends and experienced some horrors and some of the greatest acts of human kindness that impacted my thoughts of people and life. My most challenging tour of duty was the 3 years I spent in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This tour challenged me to the best of my abilities daily. I never really took in what happened that day until I paid a visit on Ford Island and walked through the medical facility. It was not opened to the public and the story that was written there disturbed me then and to this day. Most of us seen the movie “Pearl Harbor” and were awed and wooed at the great sound and visual effects. I got to see the movie being made. Those planes flew over my home daily and drove us nuts! What was not seen or told were the 100 known sailors trapped underwater on ships that were sunk or capsized. These stories were not released until recently due to respect to the living families and also because they are disturbing. The small Medical facility at Ford Island treated the men and women who went crazy standing watch because of the banging and screams of men trapped in water tight compartments on ships and there was nothing that could be done to help them. On the USS Utah, the banging and communication went on for almost 20 days before the messages came to a silent stop. Thousands of my fellow shipmates, airmen, soldiers and civilians died that day. Some, while still asleep in their bunks and racks. I take this day in and always reflect on the people who really made this country what it is. No matter what I do for the final year of my Naval career, I could never sailor up to those great men who fought in the wars of the past. There is not many left from those days of WWII or Korea and now our Countrymen who fought in Vietnam are reaching their golden years. It is up to us to carry on the great stories of pride and bravery for the generations to come. Take a moment of your day and say a silent gest of honor for those men and women of the past. Rest in Peace shipmates, you are not or never forgotten… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 The day keeps slipping away just as fast as the men and women who were there that dreadful day. 7 December 1941. Rest in Peace shipmates, you are not or never forgotten… From today's Cincinnati Enquirer...story about the last local survivor: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2008120...70359/1055/NEWS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiderweb Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 From today's Cincinnati Enquirer...story about the last local survivor: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2008120...70359/1055/NEWS Hummm. Now that an avatar I didn't expect from Stuck..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Good post, Navy! (But, once again, wrong forum. I think we can overlook it, though. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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