Just a Typical December Morn

Archive USN photo showing USS Arizona's magazine exploding.

I woke to a still, tranquil Sunday morning. It is a bit cloudy here with a crispness in the air. Just a typical December morn.

Today, on an island in the Pacific, they will wake to a mostly clear day with high clouds. Just a typical December morn.

Probably not much different than a SUN morning in 1941 when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked the US military base at Pearl Harbor, HI. Residents woke expecting to go through their normal routines, coffee while reading the newspaper in view of the blue Pacific waters, attending church, and perhaps some sleeping in from a night of dancing.

Typical newspaper headline.

At 0749 local time, Japanese air-attack commander Mitsuo Fuchida tells his telegraph operator to send a message: to to to (attack). He then commanded a second transmission, one regrettably we all know: to ra to ra to ra (attack, surprise achieved). Some Japanese pilots misunderstand the message (there is a space of time between the letters "o" and "r". Without the space, the word becomes TORA, Japanese for Tiger. Many of them were aware of a Japanese proverb "A tiger goes out 1,000 ri (2,000 miles) and returns without fail". They took this as their own personal mission.

At 0755 local time, the first bomb was dropped—five minutes too early. The Japanese ambassador was delivering a declaration of war on the USA and hostilities were scheduled for 0800 local time (Hawaii).

At 0950 local time, the first wave of the strike force was arriving back at their carriers, while the second wave started its attack. Minutes later, the second wave was leaving Pearl returning to their carriers.

120 minutes.
318 US ships and airplanes were destroyed.
1,000 wounded.
2,500 killed.

The news of the surprise attack would take its time to reach the eyes and ears of the American public back on the mainland. Some learned of the news in theatres when the movie was interrupted, and the patrons told. Some heard the news while clustered in public meeting places. Others heard the news as they gathered around the family entertainment system—a radio. When they woke earlier in the day, they had not expected this. Just a typical DEC morn.

USS Arizona Memorial.

I have often thought about the moment right before a person's world is torn asunder. The moment right before a tragedy occurs. The moment right before there is no longer "normal". We all have individual moments: when we learn a loved one has cancer; when we learn of a death from an MVA; when we learn the baby miscarried. I remember the moment right before pain would consume my body. However, these moments were experienced as individuals. The attack on Pearl was a moment we shouldered as a nation. A shared experience.

No one expected the morning events of December 7, 1941, any more than the morning events of September 11, 2001. Yet, they happened and to all, it seemed like a typical morn. We grew stronger as individuals and collectively as a nation. But let us never forget the "date which will live in infamy" that started as just a typical December morn and may we always 'Remember Pearl Harbor'.

May God Bless America.
For God, Country, and Corps, I remain

Semper Fidelis