Today, I put the US flag out on the mailbox and put another one on the deck in honor of the event that transpired 69 years ago that caused the US to enter World War II in a big way. That would be the Japanese surprise attack on US military forces at Pearl Harbor; one of the worst defeats ever suffered by American forces.
I will be posting several Pearl Harbor stories on my history blog at http://cootershistorything.blogspot.com.
My mom remembers her dad trying vainly to straighten out several sets of c-9 light bulbs when the announcement came on the radio. It was one of those sort of events likes Kennedy's assassination and 9-11 where everyone old enough remembers where they were and what they were doing.
This year's observance in Pearl Harbor is especially poignant because over 200 veterans who were there during the attack are expected and the umbrella group for them, the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association is considering disbanding because age is doing what the Japanese couldn't do to them. All of them are in their upper 80s or low 90s. The last surviving Pearl Harbor Medal of Honor died earlier this year.
While teaching, my classes always observed this date. Once I started teaching US history (but only up to the beginning of the Civil War, like I ever got that far) a one day unit turned into a three day one. Believe me, my kids knew about Pearl Harbor, even though schools today largely overlook it.
A Day to Remember That Freedom "Ain't" Free. --RoadDog
Being an account of some things I'm interested in, what I'm doing, and reflections on my past, especially music.
Listen to this man. Seven years of college, you know. Trying to reason with 2020 and, now, 2022.
No comments:
Post a Comment