Warbird Information Exchange

FDR was correct. The day still lives in infamy.

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

There was a good story in USA Today with photos of several vets who are Pearl Harbor survivors, and either live near Pearl or return to volunteer at the visitor center there. A touching and a little strange moment was when a young Japanese boy was reading a letter to the three old men. It did not say what was in the letter, I guess some sort of apology or at least recognition of these old warriors.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

My Dad was at wheeler(dec 7,1941) and I spoke with him this morning. That P-26 was the personal airplane of one of the squadron commanders, he couldn't recall which one. The P-36 that is at Wright Patterson is done up in Dad's markings(he was the crew chief on #86 and hauled it out of line that morning fueled and armed it) Phil Rasmussen flew it and was creditted with a kill over Kaneahoe Bay.
Greg Hawkins
Woodstock, Ga

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tracers work both ways

It is nice to know that folks are remembering this day - some what related, in Utah there is a movement started by Middle School students to have a bill introduced in the state that would make Veterans day a day off. Now I'm sure that some are thinking "ski day" but they would still have to make up the day somewhere else and many of them are adament that it is important to honor veterans by being able to attend local parades and activities.

To all who served anytime anywhere - thank you!

and - remember the USS Utah!

Tom P.

I see this original pin everytime I get in my '36 Ford coupe.

I wonder if he wrote those words before the actual attack? Some say that he knew where the fleet was headed the day they left Japan! Of course that could all be just a conspiracy theory.

I'm pretty sure that the USS Arizona in not considered an active ship and if my memory serves me correct from my last visit there, the flag is attached to the memorial, not to the USS Arizona.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

BDk, I don't believe there is any real historic evidence of such a plot by FDR. Some have alleged so, but to me it makes no sense that a US pres would allow that big of loss of our men and ships. If he wanted to lure Japan into starting a war with us, AND IF HE REALLY KNEW ABOUT JAPAN'S FLEET, then why not warn the Pearl Harbor forces just in time so that the attack could be met more evenly. It would have still be an attack by Japan and an act of war. The History Channel today says that FDR sent the Japanese ambassador a message that even at that last hour he, FDR, wanted to resolve differences diplomatically. It says this message was withheld from the Emperor by pro war Japanese subordinates.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Arizona was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on December 1, 1942

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

It's nice to see that there are those that still stop to remember the 7th of December 1941.

I wish that more Americans did.

I show my Scottish friend the pictures in this thread and he was deeply impressed by the power of each.


The one picture the eriely stands out in my mind, taken on the 7th or shortly after, was one taken during clean-up operations. It was (I think ) of a deceased Val dive bomber crewman fished out of the harbor. Still hanging from the ropes in his leather flight jacket and uniform, the crewman's body looked intact except his face was gone leaving nothing but skull.


Shay
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Semper Fortis

The Pearl Harbor Pin in your 36 Ford is that something from 1942 or is it a reproduction? Either way a neat item, never seen one before.

The show said that the Japanese diplomatic code had been cracked some months before the war and that also Yamamoto's ships broke radio silence on a few occasions.

BDK, re fleet radio silence. Ist FDr was not listening to any radio, if any Japanese fleet signal was picked up, it would have been by some miltary intel branch. I see no evidence of any such messages as such sent to FDR, Kimmel; etc. Next, as for radio silence, I have seen reports both ways, but most accounts say Japanese fleet maintained silence after they left home waters and neared Hawaii. To do otherwise would foolish. As for diplomatic code, I doubt if the attack was discussed over these wires, at least not in plain language abel to be deciphered easily. Diplomats in DC were told what to do in specific and limited terms, not what the military or the fleet was doing.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

On our first day of Mediterranean Assault (http://www.historicbattles.org) today, we had out some local school groups for talks about World War Two, weapons demonstration, and a flight demonstration. We were also privileged to put up a missing man formation and talked to the children about Pearl Harbor. Wish we could have had some Pearl Harbor survivors out there, but the event will not be forgotten.

Ryan

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Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.

I think we were concerned, but not overly concerned, that an attack was in the offing. Who could imagine taht someone would sail carriers close enought o attack pearl, any more than we could really imagine nutbags flying Airliners into the twin towers? (An aside: maybe that would be a good excuse to outlaw those big arsed airliners?)

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."