December 7, 1941

[GMDino]

The day my wife's grandmother had her bridal shower.

Also the day Pearl Harbor was attacked and the US entered WWII.

I had the opportunity to visit the WWII Museum in New Orleans last year where I got my first real indepth intro to the war in the Pacific.  Simply horrific.

I had always focused on the European side...it interested me more from a family and personal perspective...but I have just recently been reading more about the rest.

[jj22]

As painful as it is/was WWII (the rise and fall of Hitler) was one of the greatest historical moments ever. Never to be repeated.

[*michaelsean*]

One of those dates you never forget even if you weren't around at the time. June 6. Nov 22. Future generations will always know 9/11.

[*Nately120*]

I found out, somewhat recently from my father (well, he's been dead for 6 years so maybe it was a decade or so ago) that my grandfather, who was in the army, had a younger brother that wasn't 18 but wanted to join the army so my grandfather lied to get him in and they stationed him at Pearl Harbor.

Of all the interesting and unlikely ways people in my family died, that one is the most historically interesting. Thus, went my great uncle Martin.

[*michaelsean*]

(12-07-2018, 12:23 PM)Nately120 Wrote: I found out, somewhat recently from my father (well, he's been dead for 6 years so maybe it was a decade or so ago) that my grandfather, who was in the army, had a younger brother that wasn't 18 but wanted to join the army so my grandfather lied to get him in and they stationed him at Pearl Harbor.

Of all the interesting and unlikely ways people in my family died, that one is the most historically interesting.

Grandpa probably blamed himself his whole life.  

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(12-07-2018, 11:00 AM)GMDino Wrote: The day my wife's grandmother had her bridal shower.

Also the day Pearl Harbor was attacked and the US entered WWII.

I had the opportunity to visit the WWII Museum in New Orleans last year where I got my first real indepth intro to the war in the Pacific.  Simply horrific.

I had always focused on the European side...it interested me more from a family and personal perspective...but I have just recently been reading more about the rest.

My grandfather was there when they took Guadalcanal.

[*Nately120*]

(12-07-2018, 12:24 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Grandpa probably blamed himself his whole life.  

Probably.  He made it back to the states and pretty much (from what I could piece together from stories from my ol man and his sister) became a shiftless drifting type who walked out on his family and died on a factory floor in his late 40s.  Back in the good ol' days of "Your feelings don't matter, man up and shut up."

The good ol' days.

[jj22]

(12-07-2018, 12:23 PM)Nately120 Wrote: I found out, somewhat recently from my father (well, he's been dead for 6 years so maybe it was a decade or so ago) that my grandfather, who was in the army, had a younger brother that wasn't 18 but wanted to join the army so my grandfather lied to get him in and they stationed him at Pearl Harbor.

Of all the interesting and unlikely ways people in my family died, that one is the most historically interesting.  Thus, went my great uncle Martin.

Great Uncle Martin sounds like he wouldn't have had it any other way. A true hero. 

[jj22]

(12-07-2018, 12:46 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Probably.  He made it back to the states and pretty much (from what I could piece together from stories from my ol man and his sister) became a shiftless drifting type who walked out on his family and died on a factory floor in his late 40s.  Back in the good ol' days of "Your feelings don't matter, man up and shut up."

The good ol' days.

OH he made it. Good.

[*Nately120*]

(12-07-2018, 12:55 PM)jj22 Wrote: Great Uncle Martin sounds like he wouldn't have had it any other way. A true hero. 

I guess that's the diplomatic way of looking at it.  I have a feeling my grandfather wouldn't have been so upset about it if he could have taken that stance.  Then again, I never knew my grandfather, so maybe he was of the "I helped him be a hero" mindset.

(12-07-2018, 12:56 PM)jj22 Wrote: OH he made it. Good.

Yes, my grandfather made it back from WWII.  Now that I think of it he didn't have kids before that, so I suppose I could be fading out ala Back to the Future, if he hadn't.

[*bfine32*]

I may have told the story before, but one of my most rewarding days was in Hawaii one Memorial Day. I was driving around and saw an elderly man struggling with his groceries as he was waiting for the bus. I didn't have anything to do so I stopped and offered a ride.

He was a native Hawaiian that had served in the Military briefly. He shared with me his story of the attack on PH. He was just a kid, but remembered the planes flying over (we drove down the kolikoli pass they used), he remembers waiving at the planes as they went over, then he just remembers the smoke and smell.

That dude didn't have to worry about a ride the rest of my time on the island.

[BengalHawk62]

(12-07-2018, 12:23 PM)michaelsean Wrote: One of those dates you never forget even if you weren't around at the time.  June 6.  Nov 22.  Future generations will always know 9/11.

Ironically, each of those dates has a double number in them......6/6.......11/22.......9/11


maybe means nothing......maybe its a sign?

[Dill]

(12-07-2018, 03:47 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: Ironically, each of those dates has a double number in them......6/6.......11/22.......9/11


maybe means nothing......maybe its a sign?

Proof positive that if you have enough numbers, some will be double of others.

[Dill]

(12-07-2018, 01:11 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I may have told the story before, but one of my most rewarding days was in Hawaii one Memorial Day. I was driving around and saw an elderly man struggling with his groceries as he was waiting for the bus. I didn't have anything to do so I stopped and offered a ride.

He was a native Hawaiian that had served in the Military briefly. He shared with me his story of the attack on PH. He was just a kid, but remembered the planes flying over (we drove down the kolikoli pass they used), he remembers waiving at the planes as they went over, then he just remembers the smoke and smell.

That dude didn't have to worry about a ride the rest of my time on the island.

Guy waves at enemy planes, giving comfort to the enemy, and you give him a ride.

[Dill]

(12-07-2018, 11:52 AM)jj22 Wrote: As painful as it is/was WWII (the rise and fall of Hitler) was one of the greatest historical moments ever. Never to be repeated.

Greatest disaster to befall humanity so far.