Monday, December 7, 2015

Pearl Harbor: Then and Now

Above is my father's ship, USS Albert W Grant, in Manus for repairs, after the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944. This was the beginning of the end for Japan. Its fleet destroyed but Okinawa was still ahead, thousands of Japanese aircraft dive bombing in suicide manner the ships in the landing force. Some felt that Japan was on the brink of surrender, I am assured that none at Okinawa thought the slightest as such.

But on December 7th in 1941 the US was attacked and we went to War, total and devastating war. Millions died as a result of the actions of Japan. But Japan attacked military sites. Our recent "war" was precipitated by an even more deadlier attack on civilians while the only defense were unarmed National Guard Fighters from several hundreds of miles distant.

Now we have been attacked again, and again, and again, most recently in California. The response is tepid at best. Perhaps we need better history lessons.