Wakulla Station News
By VERNA BROCK
Another mover and shaker in Wakulla County has left us this past week, as R. H. Carter passed away on December 7th. After a stellar career in education with the Wakulla County School Board, Mr. Carter went on to champion the cause of our older citizens, artfully helming the Senior Citizens Center for many years.
I had the privilege of volunteering on the County Constitution Revision Commission a few years ago with Mr. Carter. and a number of other great, civic-minded folks. We all valued Mr. Carter’s insights and balanced approach to decision making. His dedication to Wakulla County will be missed; please keep his family and friends in your prayers during this sad time.
December 7th is also Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. As a child living in Honolulu, in the early ‘60s, my mother’s best friend in Hawaii was the daughter of Japanese immigrants living in Honolulu during the war. Her name was Amy Shinoki, and that fateful December 7th, as she walked to Sunday School, she heard the roar of the Japanese Zeros and saw the rising sun on their bellies. She immediately turned and ran home, even as the sounds of the bombings at Pearl began to ring out.
Not long after that, the U.S. entered the war, and Amy’s older brother enlisted to serve and fight with the 100th Infantry Battalion (formerly the Hawaiian National Guard). The storied 100th eventually became the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the most decorated unit in U.S. military history. While fighting in Europe, the 100th helped to liberate concentration camps and also earned the title “the Purple Heart Battalion”.
I have so many vivid memories of Amy sharing her personal memories of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the war, and visiting the memorial at the battleship Arizona. As a child there, we had regular “duck and cover drills” at school, and believe me, those drills had a special meaning for the children of survivors of the attack on Honolulu and Pearl Harbor.
On Sunday, Ed and I had a fun afternoon with our daughters and their children at Wakulla Springs, while having family photos made with the kids. Can’t wait to see the finished product!
Thanks for reading!
Should you wish to have your special holiday events, family gatherings or prayer requests in this article, you can call 850-421-3730 or email vernalsbrock@gmail.com.