December 7th 2009

[Steven McGarthwaite]

December 7th 2009.

Today is the 68th Anniversary of the "Attack on Pearl Harbor" and the United States of America. Ever since that day, the United States Military has been on ever alert to the the threats on our nation, by others.

This is a day when we should take some time to reflect on how December 7th 1941, changed our nation. Of the dedication and sacrifices that countless generations of American who have answered our nations call to miltary service. Those who died, those who were wounded, and those survived and returned home to a ungrateful nation!

Sergeant First Class/Platoon Sergeant Steven H. McGarthwaite
RA68044546, U.S. Army (1968-1995) Retired.

[jimsnarocks]

December 7, 1941... A date which will live in infamy.

[robgcp]

Never forgotten...Never forgiven...Changed America more than any other event...

[Mohawk16]

May they all continue to rest in peace. I sincerely hope we are not letting them down. Semper Fi !!!

[Big Bad Wulff]

Is the media even covering it?

[Steve Molcsan]

Submitted for a moment of silence...

[nighthawk]

I will always remember and honor those who suffered on that dark day.

[Lotech]

NBC covered it. I don't know about the others. I'm really glad it wasn't forgotten here. I asked one of the kids I work with today what this day meant to him. He said it was some kind of a war thing wasn't it? Sad. There seems to be a lot of history that the schools today don't touch on. Again, sad.
I'll never forget.

[redietz]

NBC covered it. I don't know about the others. I'm really glad it wasn't forgotten here. I asked one of the kids I work with today what this day meant to him. He said it was some kind of a war thing wasn't it? Sad. There seems to be a lot of history that the schools today don't touch on. Again, sad.
I'll never forget.

I'm in agreement that there's a lot of history that school today don't touch on, but in the long run, a date is just a date. Quick - don't look it up - what day was Fort Sumter fired on? What date was the Lusitania sunk? What date was the Maine blown up? These are all events that caused Americans to go to war. The exact month and day they happened really isn't that important. What is important is that Americans died for their beliefs.

My father told me the story of his interview for the law firm that he ended up joining. He was only asked one question: "When was the Magna Carta signed?" History major that he was, he was able come up with 1215 without thinking too hard. His interviewer immediately came back with "Everybody knows that. I want to know the month and day." (I should add that the interviewer was Major General Clifford Powell, a bit intimidating to a former gunner on a B-25.) He knew 1) my father wouldn't know the answer, and 2) that the actual month and day isn't important to the significance of the Magna Carta. He was only trying to see how my father could think on his feet, and bring the conversation around to the actual significance without looking like an idiot.

The answer, btw, is June 15. Are you sorry they didn't drill that into you in school?