Where we were when Pearl Harbor was attacked

World Defense Review ^ | December 2, 2005 | W. Thomas Smith, Jr.

[Moonraker]

On December 7, future U.S. President George H.W. Bush was a 17-year-old student and captain of the baseball team at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. "I remember it well," he says. "We had just left church and started to walk across campus when someone shouted out, 'Pearl Harbor's been bombed.'"

On his 18th birthday, the following June, Bush signed up to become a Naval aviator. He completed flight school and earned his commission a few days before his 19th birthday making him the youngest aviator in the Navy at that time.

[theDentist]

'Pearl Harbor's bombed.'

Bush was stunned. John Kennedy asked, "I thought her name was Pearl Bailey?"

[brothers4thID]

Thanks, that was a good, light, read.

[COBOL2Java]

It was my Mom's 21st birthday. Some way to remember it!

[Waverunner]

Every time I read something like this, I think of a picture from my great aunt's photo album - it shows a small baby boy smiling at the camera. It reads cousin Roberts adopted son - killed in WW2 - nothing else is written on the picture, And all of the older relatives have passed away, He's just a nameless young man who gave his life for America. When my cousin was in Iraq, I made sure he got a big package every 2 weeks from home.
Support our troops.

[COBOL2Java]

This fellow looks a wee bit too young to be using the word "we" in the title...

[BigCinBigD]

I was not around yet. But my mothers brother was aboard the U.S.S. Arizona. I never got to meet my uncle.

[RockinRight]

My GRANDMOTHER was 15 years old!

[COBOL2Java]

Just goes to show you, all age groups are welcome to FreeRepublic! :-)

[Gay State Conservative]

....John Kennedy asked, "I thought her name was Pearl Bailey?"

Hey,C'mon...that's not fair.JFK(and his brother Joe,for that matter) served honorably in WWII,as did former President Bush and many others.

In fact,JFK was,IMO,the last prominent (influential) democRAT to be worthy of the respect of today's Republicans/ conservatives.

[Amish]

I am a generation away from these folk, but have known several who were on-site at the time.

A friend an former workmate was the flyweight boxing champion of Schoffield Barracks when the attack hit.

Another friend of the family was a young Army Air Corps wife living on base with her junior officer husband.

Another couple were first generation Japanese Americans living at home in Pearl City. The future wife was walking her younger sister home after church when the attack began. The future husband initially thought it was some kind of an exercise at first and watched the attack from the top of a hillside garage in Pearl City.

"The greatest generation".. sadly leaving us each day.

[i_dont_chat]

I don't remember. I was 2-1/2 months old at the time.

[i_dont_chat]

My dad was drafted near the end of the war, but didn't see any combat.

[Lazamataz]

Where we were when Pearl Harbor was attacked

Since I was not yet born -- nor, I think, was my mother -- I cannot truly say.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"We had just left church and started to walk across campus when someone shouted out, 'Pearl Harbor's been bombed.'"

Considering the time difference between Hawaii and MA, does this statement strike anyone else as...odd?

[theDentist]

JFK was known for his pursuit of women of any age.

[G.Mason]

Don't forget ... if you fly the Stars & Bars ... to fly it at half mast on December 7th.

Help drive your local leftists further off the edge. ;)

[GreyFriar]

Pearl Harbor Ping

[Moonraker]

Why should it? Around 1:00 pm MA time.
He left Church. Probably hanging out with friends awhile afterwards then walked across campus.
That's about right.

[BluH2o]

News of the attack on Pearl Harbor left an indelible impression on the minds of those people old enough at the time to understand the implications. Just like 911 is to more recent generations. My parents (Canadians) remembered precisely were they were when they first heard the news on that fateful Sunday in December 1941.