Pearl Harbor survivors meet for last time

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - With their number quickly dwindling, survivors of Pearl Harbor will gather Thursday one last time to honor those killed by the Japanese 65 years ago, and to mark a day that lives in infamy.

This will be their last visit to this watery grave to share stories, exchange smiles, find peace and salute their fallen friends. This, they say, will be their final farewell.

"This will be one to remember," said Mal Middlesworth, president of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. "It's going to be something that we'll cherish forever."

The survivors have met here every five years for four decades, but they're now in their 80s or 90s and are not counting on a 70th reunion. They have made every effort to report for one final roll call.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061207/ap_on_re_us/pearl_harbor_remembered

In 84 my father in law went to England for a reunion of those who landed on France during D-Day. He stormed Omaha Beach, lost an arm for his efforts. There could not have been a prouder human on the planet. He was so happy to go to see his old pals and yet sad when they took the trip to France to visit the area where they landed. He died two years ago and there was a large contingent of very old Veterans proudly standing at attention at his gravesite while my MIL received the flag from his coffin. God Bless em All!

My stepdad was on Omaha beach 6Jun 1944, LCTA2339 and he is still with us!!!


I was at Pearl Harbor 3years ago
Me being a 'Pacific' history buff, it was a trip of a lifetime
viewing the USS Arizona, USS Bowfin, and USS Missouri
a day I will never forget

on my Dad in Laws WWII story including a sit down chit chat I had with him about a year before he died. My intent is to present his children and grandchildren with his War saga, but everytime I break out that box I get all teared up. Going through those papers just breaks my heart. But one day I'll get through it. Its a story worth telling and sharing.

That undying friendship and loyalty is so beautiful.

God bless them all, indeed.

and his funeral was a few days later in a small Kansas Cemetary. It was a god awful cold day but no snow falling and the sun was shining bright. The Vets were all bundled up, standing in formation, not one of them under 80. They were there to say goodbye to an old friend and teammate and to ensure he was sent off right. While very sad, it was an incredibly beautiful site.

I just told my students here at school in an announcement to talk to a veteran of WW2, because they won't be around much longer. We're losing these wonderful vets. Bless them all!

He used to go to his bomber group's reunion every year...and every year there were less and less men that showed up.

I have one relative left from that generation. Uncle Vernon was drafted, but failed his physical. He tried every branch of the service, and they wouldn't take him. It bummed him out so much; he really wanted to serve.

Now Vernon is in a wheelchair and is losing his faculties. So damn sad.

He passed away almost two years ago. One of the few times the man ever showed any emotion was when my sisters & I pitched in to send him to the 50 year reunion in Hawaii.

We're losing such a huge part of our history. It makes me think, though, that my generation will be the last to have ever talked to these vets. I'm proud to say that I met a member of the French Resistance when I was 9 years old. I'll be able to tell my grandkids that, and hopefully they'll be able to feel some connection. But man... time just goes by don't it?

Yours is one of the few memorials to the troops that have fought for this country that I've ever seen up here in 2 years. Good for you! Of course, a few words of tribute from you would have been nice, but at least you bothered to post at all. Good on ya!

P.S. The comments by everyone, up to this post, have been nice, too.

I'm a vet, and so are my father (Korea) and uncle (WWII), so I'd know. I appreciate every one.

DU is chock full of veterans, me included. No one supports our troops or veterans more then liberals; especially fellow veteran liberals. This is a great site to get to know a veteran's perspective that you might not find in the local paper.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

and go read studs terkel's "the good war". excellent book.