Never Forget

Eighty-three years ago today, at just before 8 AM, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  The surprise attack killed 2,403 civilians and military personnel and wounded nearly 1,200 others.  As a result of the attack, the United States formally declared war on Japan and shortly thereafter entered World War II.  Those who lived during that tumultuous time would come to be known as the "Greatest Generation" (former NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw wrote an outstanding book on this generation entitled, appropriately enough, The Greatest Generation), and based upon everything that I have learned and experienced, this is completely accurate.  One of the members of that generation, who happened to be our 41st President, fought during World War II.  

Then Lieutenant (Junior Grade) and naval aviator George H.W. Bush was shot down during an attack on a Japanese base at Chichijima.  He and his crew bailed out (two of the crew died shortly after, while one crewman's parachute failed to open and was lost at sea), and he was later rescued by the submarine USS Finback.  The other pilots and crew from his squadron who were also shot down were later executed by the Japanese.  Bush was clearly one of the lucky ones, and he once asked himself, "Why had I been spared and what did God have for me?"  His experiences during the WWII further shaped him and had a profound impact on the kind of leader that he eventually became (see my post "Hail to the Chief" for more on our 41st President).

One of my absolute favorite speeches by President Bush was delivered on December 7, 1991 at the USS Arizona Memorial in commemoration of 50th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor (here is a video clip of the speech).  I encourage all of you to watch it - it is very moving.  He ended his remarks by looking out over the water, his voice cracking as he fought back his emotions:

Look at the water here, clear and quiet, bidding us to sum up and remember. One day, in what now seems another lifetime, it wrapped its arms around the finest sons any nation could ever have, and it carried them to a better world.

May God bless them. And may God bless America, the most wondrous land on Earth.

Today, we honor and cherish those who gave their lives in the service of their country on that "Day of Infamy".  But we also remember, today of all days, an entire generation - The Greatest Generation - who likely saved our world from ultimate destruction.  We too remember their sacrifice.  Let us never forget...