
Aerial view of the hull of the battleship Arizona (BB 39) taken during the 1950s prior to the construction of the USS Arizona Memorial


Aerial view of Hickam Field c 1948

A variety of aircraft were stationed at Ford Island in 1941.

Hickam Field in the distance with Hickam Hospital & water tower c 1941

Ford Island Tower c 1940's

Ford Island tower in more recent years
USS Enterprise VF-6 F4F's that were mistaken for Japanese the evening of Dec 7th and subsequently shot down while attempting to land at Ford Island.
Pilot Aircraft Outcome
LT(jg) Francis F. Hebel 6-F-1 Died of injuries
ENS Herbert H. Menges 6-F-15 Killed
ENS James G. Daniels III 6-F-5 Landed safely, uninjured
LT(jg) Eric Allen Jr. 6-F-12 Died of injuries
ENS Gayle L. Hermann 3-F-15 Shot out of air, survived without serious injury
ENS David R. Flynn 6-F-4 Shot down, survived without serious injury

ENS Gayle L. Herman’s Wildcat

F4F-4s of VF-6 on USS Enterprise (CV-6) in April 1942

F4F-3 of VF-6 taking off from USS Enterprise (CV-6) 1942

One of the B-24's caught on the attack

Hickam Field P-40 being stripped of paint.

USS Missouri BB63 entering Pearl Harbor 1945

Hale Makai Barracks, located on Hickam Air Force Base, still bears silent testimony to the bullet and shrapnel damage sustained during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor

Hangar 79, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. The glass was shot up during the attack on Pearl Harbor. So it remains.

Bullet holes at headquarters building of Hickam Air Force Base.

Pearl Harbor survivor of the December 7, 1941 attack. Sikorsky JRS-1 (NASM archives)

Pearl Harbor survivor of the December 7, 1941 attack. Sikorsky JRS-1 (NASM archives)

Pearl Harbor survivor of the December 7, 1941 attack. Sikorsky JRS-1 (NASM archives)

Pearl Harbor survivor of the December 7, 1941 attack. Sikorsky JRS-1 (NASM archives)

Woody Derby, a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor, salutes the names of the deceased at the USS Arizona Memorial
It's so easy to take things for granted and to find ways to be upset and complain about what we don't have in life when actually it only takes but a few minutes to look at a old photo, read a few pages of history, visit a memorial or just watch a veteran or serviceperson walk down the street to realize just how lucky we actually are.
And because of so many sacrifices on December 7th, 1941, and the sacrifices of those from all the allied nations who followed afterward I have be able to live pretty well without too many speed bumps along the way. (well most of the time anyway

)
There's several dates a year that I pause and reflect just for a few minutes and give thanks that I live the life I do. Those dates always seem to memorialize those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Those who indeed have given everything have certainly earned a bit of my time each year. It's the least I can do.

Reggie and me