December 7th

[jds holler]

An old friend of mine, (now deceased) was attending Oregon State University when the attack on Pearl Harbor happened. The second wave of that attack happened over the next days and weeks, right here in the continental United States, when thousands of patriotic young men descended upon the enlistment offices trying to get inducted into the military -- RIGHT NOW!!

My friend described how the college had huge assemblies at the auditorium with enlistment officers from the various branches to try and slow down the swarm of hopeful enlistees. They simply couldn't take them fast enough. Japan had indeed woke up a sleeping giant.

My friend, with his college education, was taken into the US Airforce for a quick bout of officer training school and then into the European Theater as a B-17 pilot.

He was shot down on his twenty sumpthinth mission and spent the last six months or so of the war as a POW.

I enjoyed his friendship for the last six or eight years of his life, and now wish I'd have pumped him better for the details of his service. He was a true patriot, conservative American, Ditto-Head, and genuine hard-ass about the direction our country has been taking for too long. jd

 

[Adam in WI]

The second wave of that attack happened over the next days and weeks, right here in the continental United States, when thousands of patriotic young men descended upon the enlistment offices trying to get inducted into the military -- RIGHT NOW!!

I have to wonder (I don't really, hypothetically speaking) what the reaction would be if that attack happened today. Would we see an outpouring of patriotism and national pride, or rather widespread apathy and a majority of college age people trying to explain how we were to blame.

 

[Rustytigwire]

My woman companion lost her younger brother in ww2. I was not even born yet. Her oldest brother was shot down in B17 twice, captured once. Both her surviving brothers became NASA engineers. That generation set the bar high. She is smart too.
I can only try to be worthy of their legacy.

 

[LarryDScott]

I don't want to diminish Pearl Harbor one bit, or the hero's who fought and died there.

But our country is fighting an attack right now that might prove to be more serious. jd

Yes its a fight to thwart domestic terrorism. LDS

 

[jds holler]

I'll also say that for those guys who fought and came back from that war... life means a lot to them. It's about all over for them, but the ones I've known have generally been active, zesty, balls to the wall types.

I just dug out the obituary of my friend, and would love to post it here. Probably better not though, this being the internet and all. That obit, and what I knew of him combines into one hell of a man.

He is one of the folks who is to blame for me being alive today, and I miss him a lot. jd

 

[snert]

Just keep remembering and saying... "Soon I'll have more flexibility" and " It is a reset".

After you repeat that over and over , one of two things will happen. Either you will drink that Kool-aide or you will become a steely eyed pissed off patriot.

 

[dellet]

John W Finn.

John William Finn - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I had the pleasure of serving this fine man a plate of BBQ one year at a local parade, and getting to know him, as much as one can over a single meal.

I also know kids who quit school or enlisted pending graduation on 9/12. Some were students of my wife. One is planning his retirement in a few years. There’s is a good chance he will have spent his entire career “in the Sand Box”.

They are not all that different from each other.

If you think for one minute a high percentage of our youth, at anytime, in this country, will not step into the fight when needed, you need to spend a bit more time outside the city.

People under 25 had no idea until four years ago, the power of what America driven by patriotism could be. Their fight might very well be on our own soil.

We remember December 7, September 11, sadly another day is coming. It’s our job to teach them about men such as John Finn and make certain they are ready for their day. Honor the past, by preparing for the future.