The Veterans Administration estimates that 1,000 American veterans of World War II die each day.
Thus, we lose 1,000 heroes everyday, and with them go their memories and experiences.
The following photo is of the USS Arizona Memorial in Honolulu:
It marks the watery graves of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors and Marines killed on the Arizona on December 7th, 1941.
During the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Imperial Japanese Navy, 2,402 Americans were killed and 1,282 were wounded.
War on Japan was declared the next day.
There were some who survived:
ReplyDeletehttp://biggeekdad.com/2012/04/eternal-peace-on-uss-arizona/
That video is beautiful.
DeleteWe were there in 1997. It's hard to describe the atmosphere. Somber.
ReplyDeleteMy parents visited there after my dad retired from the military. I wish it had been somber that day. My dad wouldn't talk about it, but my mom told me they had to leave because my dad was so upset about the Japanese tourists who were smiling and taking pictures. I wouldn't go to Hiroshima to laugh and celebrate.
DeleteLike you say, not only were they veterans (which are great in their own right), but heroes - in the greatest sense of the word.
ReplyDeleteThoughtful post.
Thank you, Wendy. They deserve our respect.
DeleteLest We Forget...
ReplyDeleteYes. Too many young people don't understand.
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ReplyDeleteSuch a sad day to remember. Even sadder that they're almost all gone now. I can't imagine the horror of that day.
ReplyDeleteThey pretty much demolished our ships. They thought the U.S. wouldn't be able to go to war without them. Big mistake. So big. Huge.
DeleteWe were just watching this this morning... Tony would LOVE to see it in person.
ReplyDeleteI want to go, but it would be hard. Going to The Wall is difficult for me. The Holocaust Museum in D.C. didn't upset me as much as I thought it would, but it's not easy to see these places in person.
DeleteI know retirees who survived Pearl Harbor and their ashes can be attached to the Arizona Memorial.
ReplyDeletefishducky sent out a video about it. It's very moving.
DeleteStrangely, just before December 7th, I watched two documentaries about the attack on Pearl Harbour. Fascinating and horrifying at the same time.
ReplyDeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
I imagine they were on because of the upcoming commemoration.
DeleteThank you for remembering.
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting.
DeleteI want to visit the USS Arizona Memorial in September when Tim and I got to Hawaii
ReplyDeleteI hope you make it.
DeletePhil and I both want to visit this someday. We've never been to Hawaii, but if we ever make it there, we will definitely put this on the must-see list.
ReplyDelete-andi
I've never been to Hawaii, either. If I went to the memorial, I'm afraid I'd crumple up and cry.
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