I put together a YouTube video using actual footage from real radio broadcasts from 1941. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfkkIZvuu2o Link to December 7, 1941Pearl Harbor attack
UPDATED DECEMBER 7TH, 2024, 83 YEARS AGO
I was three years old when this attack occurred and it was a short time later that I realized the impact of it. My Dad was killed in a car accident May 1939, when I was 8 months old. Here we are three years later and by this time my Mother had remarried to Paul Powers. August 17, 1941, my sister was born. She would have been 3 or 4 months old when the attack came, too young to realize any of the dangers. Several things I do remember. Everyone 18 years old was eligible for the draft and the age extended to age 35. My Uncle Preston was 27 at the time. My Mother had decided my Grandparents would be able to care for me better than she could, so my Grandparents, became my family. Since my Uncle was draft age when America declared war on Japan, it was scary for the family after recently losing my Dad in the accident. My Uncle was sent to Pearl Harbor, which became even scarier, because everyone thought Japan would likely strike Pear Harbor again. As it turned out, Pearl Harbor was one of the safest places to be during WW II. I was too young to remember very much, but the one thing I do remember is the blackouts and when we would go get in the storm cellar. We were living in Megargel, Texas at the time, where my grandfather was the Church of Christ minister. The storm cellar was probably built because this area was subject to tornadoes. I remember when it was announced that there would be a practice air raid, I would go with my Grandad and Grandmother to the cellar. There was a siren that went off and we would stay until all clear was sounded with another siren. I can still see spiders and cobwebs in that cellar, which was scary for me, but I was too young to completely understand what was going on. I do remember hearing planes fly over, which was part of the drill.
Link to December 7, 1941Pearl Harbor attack
Attack on Pearl Harbor: December 7, 1941
December 2, 2021 by Jenny Ashcraft | Eighty years ago this month, a surprise attack by Japanese forces occurred at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The attack killed more than 2,000, injured 1,178, and led to America’s entry into WWII. During the attack, six U.S. battleships were sunk, and more than a dozen others were damaged. The Japanese also destroyed 300 airplanes. The attack lasted less than two hours, and the following day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan.
12/10/2021Story transcribed from “Fold” by Don Henderson, December 10, 2021
Talk about “Going down with the ship” This story is exactly that. Of all the Pearl Harbor stories about the December 7th, 1941, attack this one is very disturbing. On that fateful day the battleship the USS West Virginia was alongside the USS Tennessee. When the attack started, the West Virginia was hit at least 9 times by torpedoes and eventually the ship sank after it had burned for 30 hours. There were 66 sailors trapped below deck when it sank. Sometime later officials decided to salvage the West Virginia and return her to service. As they were working through compartments, they found the remains of the 66 crewmen. In one compartment they found marks on the wall showing that some of the sailors had survived for up to 16 days because they had food and water but died when their oxygen supply ran out. Many sad stories about this attack, but this is one of the saddest of all.
To read more stories about those who died at Pearl Harbor, see Fold3 Memorials created by volunteers from Stories Behind the Stars here. Stories Behind the Stars volunteers are also researching the story of each of America’s WWII fallen heroes. See those Memorials here. If you would like to join their ranks of volunteers as they try to document all of America’s WWII fallen, visit Stories Behind the Stars here. Search additional WWII records on Fold3® today!
A salute to all our brace men and women of the Armed Forces who have fought to defend our country. Thank God for these brave men and women who sacrificed much. That is why sitting when the NATIONAL ANTHEM is played is UNACCEPTABLE!!! https://youtu.be/6RrJMDsToB0 link to National Anthem sung by Martina McBride
Leave a Reply