The Sentinel, December 7, 1941

      79 years ago on December 7, 1941 at 8 o'clock on a Sunday morning the Japanese navy attacked the U.S. naval station at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Pearl Harbor is still relevant in history, for that attack was the most world changing event of the 20th century, a century full of wars, turmoil and vastly changing events.
      

      This is what Ford island in Pearl Harbor looked like when the attack had just begun. Every ship you see left to right was in what was called battleship row and every one was sunk. Every one had loss of life during the attack.

      On December 7, there were 2335 soldiers, sailors and marines killed that day within roughly 2 hours. Because the U.S. navy was the object of the attack the navy sailors and marines had the majority of losses, 90% were navy and marine men. 55% on navy losses were aboard the USS Arizona which still lies at the bottom of the harbor.
      I’ve been in and out of Pearl Harbor several times, even manned the rail as the aircraft carrier slowly passed by in honor of the fallen. It is a solemn event.
      I could not find an actual count of survivors and doubt there are many left for this anniversary. One of the last survivors shown in the picture below died in August of this year.

      There were many heroes on that day and the weeks following the attack. They all need to be remembered at least once a year on this day. They are always in my heart. So many were less than 20 years-old. Just like the Vietnam war and the current wars around the world, young (barely) men die to preserve our freedom before they are old enough to drink a beer, some not old enough to buy smoking tobacco. They will never have a wife and family. Let's think about that today as we remember those who lost their life on December 7, 1941. God bless men and women in service around the world and away from home today and likely through Christmas, doing a duty that every man and woman should have to do to serve this grand country that we all enjoy. There's never been a country so great and if we don't keep it that way; we could lose it forever to history.