Pearl Harbor


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May it never be forgotten.

I hold a meeting with all of my employees each Monday. On 12.7.09 I mentioned that the day was an anniversary of "one that will live in infamy" and I got a large room full of blank stares. This, from a room of college grads and hourly workers alike. I am forever amazed at this lack of perspective, but it explains much of today's political discourse.

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I hold a meeting with all of my employees each Monday. On 12.7.09 I mentioned that the day was an anniversary of "one that will live in infamy" and I got a large room full of blank stares. This, from a room of college grads and hourly workers alike. I am forever amazed at this lack of perspective, but it explains much of today's political discourse.

In a way I am surprised. On the smae hand, I am also not surprised - it was an event that occurred 68 years ago, and I am guessing that there would be few (if any) people in the room who would have been alive then. Yes, it was an important even in American (and world) history. However, those of later generations (especially post-Vietnam) don't understand as easily in part because of there not being a real need for a "large" increase in military personnel and a different attidude towards the military. At one time an event like Pearl Harbour (or September 11th) would make people want to do the patriotic thing and join the military. Now people few Patriotism in a different light. At least in my opinion based on the trends I see.

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In a way I am surprised. On the smae hand, I am also not surprised - it was an event that occurred 68 years ago, and I am guessing that there would be few (if any) people in the room who would have been alive then. Yes, it was an important even in American (and world) history. However, those of later generations (especially post-Vietnam) don't understand as easily in part because of there not being a real need for a "large" increase in military personnel and a different attidude towards the military. At one time an event like Pearl Harbour (or September 11th) would make people want to do the patriotic thing and join the military. Now people few Patriotism in a different light. At least in my opinion based on the trends I see.

I think you are right.

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Also, the media no longer makes the military look glorious. Just looking at the series about WWII and the movies (i.e. John Wayne wins the war yet again), there seemed to be more tendency to make war look like the thing to do.

I don't know how I would have reacted if I were alive in 1941, however I hope I really never hav to know.

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i waited until late to see if anyone non-military would post something...

In a way I am surprised. On the smae hand, I am also not surprised - it was an event that occurred 68 years ago, and I am guessing that there would be few (if any) people in the room who would have been alive then. Yes, it was an important even in American (and world) history. However, those of later generations (especially post-Vietnam) don't understand as easily in part because of there not being a real need for a "large" increase in military personnel and a different attidude towards the military. At one time an event like Pearl Harbour (or September 11th) would make people want to do the patriotic thing and join the military. Now people few Patriotism in a different light. At least in my opinion based on the trends I see.

Sorry, I was mostly offline or playing Day of Defeat online with people. You might just be surprised at how many college types had grandparents in the war. My grandparents all died in the last 3 years so I had a bit on my mind and was otherwise preoccupied. My one grandfather was in the war in every country we had troops go to to fight and was often there for a day or so after we took the villages and would donate portions of his rations to feed the starving children, other soldiers copied this and children at least had something. He came home on the USS Wasp (the one that later finished the war) and was hit by a storm at sea that collapsed the carrier deck into the water and was reportedly the only one that hadn't thrown up during the storm and he was army not navy (well that is what they all told grandma and Grandpa never denied it and he was known for being a bit too honest). He did have some bad water once after that and had 7 really bad years. War is nothing fun for those stuck in it. Dec. 7 is a day remembered even if we forget that it is the 7th at the time. Dec 1st is also an important day since it was the day that a group of disabled (differently abled) civilian (some former military) pilots started both a war time predecessor and now auxiliary to the U.S. Air Force (nope not the A.A.C). Sometimes given I am only 34 and was not alive 68 years ago people over look that I might know about WW2 and what days were important. I was in Europe on D-Day VE-day and witnessed the celebrations in the UK honoring the veterans of the war. I was there for VJ-day too but obviously that was less significant over there.

I know one thing and that is: If I were stuck going back in time and fighting with them I would be honored and still I would demand to take a lot of better gear back with me; those guys fought with crap by comparison to the old stuff we had to use only a decade ago. Our grandparents were real men and really strong women.

Some days that also should be remembered for more than they are given ... Nov 11, That last Monday in May, 1996 the June day my squadron got blown up in Saudi while in their barracks and little was done about it.

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