I was ten years old at the time. I do vividly remember the news coming over the radio about the attack. It made a big impression on me at the time. Until then, the war had been in Europe. The paper were full of news about Britain and Germany. The only American involvement had been the loss of the destroyer Reuben James, on convoy patrol in the Atlantic, and even that was played down. I barely noticed President Roosevelt's speech about it.
Pearl Harbor meant we were "in it now." The draft. Ration coupons for meat, gasoline, sugar, and other things. Shortages of things like tires. Speed limits to conserve gasoline. We raised rabbits to supplement our meat rations. As the oldest child, it fell to me to butcher them.
Dad was drafted into the Navy in 1944. In August of 1945 he was at the amphibious base at San Diego. He would have been part of a landing craft crew for the invasion of Japan. The atomic bomb saved my Dad's life.
Oh, yes, I remember Pearl Harbor.
I was nine years old,having dinner it my aunt’s house.
I had a nine year old cousin.
When the news hit and all of the adults were talking about war we kids were TERRIFIED that Christmas would be cancelled.
The innocence of childhood.
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