Elizabeth P. McIntosh, who was a Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporter when Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, interviews a U.S. sailor.
Posted on 12/07/2012 9:05:12 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
On Dec. 7, 1941, Elizabeth McIntosh was a reporter for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. She wrote a first-person account of the attack on Pearl Harbor, but it editors thought it was too graphic. Now, it is finally published.
On Dec. 7, 1941, when Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor, I was working as a reporter for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. After a week of war, I wrote a story directed at Hawaii's women; I thought it would be useful for them to know what I had seen. It might help prepare them for what lay ahead. But my editors thought the graphic content would be too upsetting for readers and decided not to run my article. It appears here for the first time:
For seven ghastly, confused days, we have been at war. To the women of Hawaii, it has meant a total disruption of home life, a sudden acclimation to blackout nights, terrifying rumors, fear of the unknown as planes drone overhead and lorries shriek through the streets.
The seven days may stretch to seven years, and the women of Hawaii will have to accept a new routine of living. It is time, now, after the initial confusion and terror have subsided, to sum up the events of the past week, to make plans for the future.
It would be well, perhaps, to review the events of the past seven days and not minimize the horror, to better prepare for what may come again.
I have a story to tell, as a reporter, that I think the women of Hawaii should hear. I tell it because I think it may help other women in the struggle, so they will not take the past events lightly.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.com ...
Elizabeth P. McIntosh, who was a Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporter when Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, interviews a U.S. sailor.
interesting
Elizabeth later worked for OSS and retired from CIA.
I’d have told her anything she wanted to know.
There are still many graphic reminders of the attack at Hickam AFB such as bullet holes in Pacific Air Command HQ.
http://www.google.com/search?q=bullet+holes+in+buildings+at+Hickam+AFB&hl=en&tbo=u&qscrl=1&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS429US429&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=5CfCUJWiEI2ayQHg94DYCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CDUQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=568
Great read with only one small thing that caused me to wonder: the paragraph about some injured being brought in with a “T” on their forehead. She wrote this was to indicate the administration of a tetanus shot as part of treatment. I was taught, years ago, this was to indicate the use of tourniquet.
Other, more knowledgable, FReeper opinions/info?
Military field first aid did lots of training with the tourniquet, never did I hear mention of field administered tetanus shots. I was not in the Navy, and wasn’t at Pearl, and only had basic first aid training, but the “T” on a casualty’s forehead makes sense to indicate tourniquet.
Been there. Seen those holes. Went to the Arizona, noticed how so many people considered it an “attraction” rather than a memorial. I was offended at their cavalier attitude.
That was in 1969. Also saw Zeros flying around as the movie TORA TORA TORA was then being filmed.
Thank you for the post. A good report.
Same here! It’s been a long time since I had first aid training, but if I remember correctly a tourniquet needs to be loosened up every 10 min or so, to prevent losing the affected limb. It would make a lot of sense to somehow mark those people with a tourniquet so they would be checked frequently.
Another thought/dimly remembered procedure: perhaps the indicator for “tourniquet” was “TK”?
Thanks for the ping. This article was excellent reporting.
Loved the first person reporting. chilling. It ended rather abruptly. I wanted more from her.
FDR called Pearl Harbor a day of infamy.
Obama calls 9-11 a workplace accident.
bookmark
We were there at the same time then. We arrived at Hickam in June 1968 and left June 1971. Our son was born at Tripler in August 1968.
Some of my husband’s AF pilot friends took part-time jobs flying the “Zeros” for the Tora X 3 movie. The planes flew over our house in Foster Village for weeks. We also saw quite a few of the bombing attack scenes being filmed at Pearl Harbor. It was eerie.
It was ironic that when we last visited the Arizona Memorial in 1991, they had information announced over loudspeakers in English and Japanese.
***Obama calls 9-11 a workplace accident.***
Back in the 1960s I saw a MAD Magazine cartoon showing how WWII would be portrayed in the future.
It showed FDR apologizing to the Emperor of Japan because some of our ships blew up in the harbor and injured his pilot’s ears.
BTTT!
And salute to those Men and Women. Thank God that they were there to sacrifice and defend our freedom.
My Dad joined the US Coast Guard in September of 1941 thinking that we may get involved in the war.
He found himself to be an invasion sailor on the Cavalier in the Pacific for the next few years fighting the Imperial Japanese.
Salute to you, Dad.
Thanks for the ping!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.