• Wednesday-What'sUP December 8 - 03:55 am

Misty Bond spotted Old Glory flying proudly amidst the falling snow, guarding this UP North dock and shoreline. It serves as a good reminder to fly our flags today, in remembrance (at half-staff if possible). Sixty-four years ago today, in the early dawn hours, the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor was carried out by the Imperial Japanese Navy. World War II began with this action, prompting President Franklin Roosevelt to refer to this day as one "...which will live in infamy". Let's pause today and commemorate the selfless sacrifice made by so many that day. Check out some wartime memories from the 2002 Archives for some interesting reading on how times have changed since the days of rationing. The ration book instructions ended with a bit of advice that holds true still today: "If you don't need it, DON'T BUY IT."

Long May She Wave!

This morning as I published Mary's weekday comments, in double-checking the wording of her quote from Franklin Roosevelt, I found the full text and audio of his speech at the History Matters project of George Mason University. I hadn't realized that many other locations in the Pacific were also attacked that day.

Thank you for the information, Charlie.

Great shot of old Glory.

If you have not done so in a while,today would be a good day to pledge your allegiance to our country.Now go fly a flag!

Today is the Day that propelled my grandfather into the Navy, where he earned campaign ribbons in the Med, Atlantic and Pacific in WWII.

Thanks Gramps!

Bob

I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant, and filled him with a terrible resolve. - After attack on Pearl Harbor

-- Yamamoto

Wonderful quote, Mr. Wheatman, and good to see you back!

Another valuable quotation, especially in this context:
George Santayana (Spanish born American Philosopher, Poet and Humanist who made important contributions to aesthetics, speculative philosophy and literary criticism. 1863-1952): "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it"

Mr. Wheatman, our man of mystery, is back. Welcome. What an interesting quote. Never read it before. And how true it was! How my dad so wanted to join the army but he had two of us toddlers and a missing big toe.:0

Have my flag up. Great quotes Wheatman and Fran.

I wear the colors everyday - even if it is just a small red/white/blue pin that I make and hand out.
God Bless America!!!

Admiral Yamamoto did not soften his logical anti-conflict stance when Japan signed the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy in September 1940. Yamamoto warned Premier Konoe Fumimaro to avoid war with the United States: "If I am told to fight... I shall run wild for the first six months... but I have utterly no confidence for the second or third year." He was proven uncannily correct as the June 1942 Battle of Midway (generally considered the key turning point in the Pacific conflict) occurred six months (almost to the day) after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
In the movies Tora! Tora! Tora! and Pearl Harbor, Yamamoto's character says, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." Considerable doubt exists, though, whether he actually ever said (or wrote) such as statement; it was probably invented for the movies, although it may well have encapsulated some of his real thoughts about it.

Lots of good thots and memories today about the attack on
Pearl Harbor. Only criticism I would have is the saying that this
is the day World War II began. The war actually began in early
Sept. 1939 with the German invasion of Poland. FDR endured
lots of criticism for waiting so long. One reason for that was
that the country was not united on going to war, and FDR knew
going to war with a country so disunited would make it almost
impossible to carry on the war even if everything went great.
The only president since FDR to show such wisdom and patience
was George H.R> Bush in the Gulf War. Too bad others
(Truman, LBJ and the current occupant of the White House ) were
not so smart, eh?

Today on the History Channel a lot of interesting shows about Pearl Harbor.

Welcome back Mr Wheatman!

Pilot friend of mine is 87 years old. He left his wife and one child to join the Marines after Pearl Harbor and ended up on Siapan. Very nice quiet man who once showed me old black and white wallet photos stamped "Navy Censored" of young men and asked me which one I thought was him. Since he showed up in both pics, it was easy, but he was impressed. Had 5 kids, built 7 airplanes, owned a dozen more over the years, and flew the last homebuilt on his 85th birthday for first flight. He is still flying.. Those were a very different type of people...........

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

There you are NKR :) You ready for that snow storm that is going to hit us today? It's supposed to start about 9am here...and dump up to 6 inches.

My father inlaw took a machine-gun round at Guada Canal, laid in a ditch for hours, pronouced dead and toe tagged. A man of the cloth noticed some movement and he was saved. One year later, he had a buddy take his physical and he joined the Paratroopers. A great leader of men in combat, he made Capt. !! He's 85 and still tough as nails.
I'm looking forward to Christmas day as we are hosting this year. Charlie is a true American hero !