By VERNA BROCK
This past Sunday was the 84th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The sneak attack launched by the Japanese, on a quiet Sunday morning so many years ago, changed the trajectory of the war and history.
By attempting to literally sink the American fleet in the Pacific, the Japanese ensured America’s entry into the forge of war. The catalyst at last was ignited and would be extinguished only by ultimate victory or unthinkable defeat.
My family was fortunate enough to live in Honolulu in the early 1960s, some 20 years after the end of World War II. The shock and horror of that day were still fresh, still raw, in the minds of longtime residents.
My mother’s closest friend there was our neighbor (Japanese American, or Nisei) Amy Shinoki. Amy was walking to Sunday School that fateful day and saw the Japanese Zeros flying over on their way to Pearl. She immediately turned and began running home; before she arrived she could hear the bombs exploding in the harbor. For Amy, the war had begun. Her older brother would join the fight as part of the storied 442nd Combat regiment. Eventually he would return home like so many Americans of valor.
As a child, the war seemed far, far away. A thing of the past. For my parents’ generation, it was like yesterday.
Today, Pearl Harbor Day barely gets a mention. Most of those who lived through the attack and subsequent war are gone. I had seven uncles who served, either in the European or Pacific theaters. I never heard any of them speak of it. Only one remains, and at 98 he is still sharp as a tack. But I do wonder if future generations will be able to grasp the gravity of the conflict and the values defended.
It would sure be a shame if the lessons learned then have to be re-learned down the road. And not all the lessons have to do with fighting. Recognizing the humanity of all people, and their inalienable rights, should never be lost “in the fog of war.”
Something to think about.
The Wakulla United Methodist Church will have a holiday covered dish dinner, this coming Sunday, Dec. 14th at 11 a.m. Also on the 14th, the Woodville United Methodist Church will be hosting the Second Sunday Sing at 6 p.m., followed by a delicious fellowship supper.
