December 7th traditions?

[OUSOONER]

Hey all,

That date is coming around the corner pretty soon and I was just wondering what you all do each and every December 7th?

It is still weird to think that 67 years ago today, Kido Butai was well underway to bomb the fleet at Pearl Harbor.

Personally, I always think back to what my grandfather was doing when he heard it on the radio and what he felt like when he walked to the Navy recruiter station (I believe he told me he went on the 10th).

I also watch Tora! Tora! Tora! and Final Countdown. Sometimes I still listen to the audio clip of FDR addressing the Nation, it's still very inspiring after all these years.

Just wondered what everyone else does, if anything?

 

[Bevo16]

A few weeks ago I went out to Hawaii on remains escort duty.

Ensign Irvin Thompson was an engineering officer on the USS Oklahoma and was on duty when it was struck by multiple bombs and torps. His remains were recently identified (along with 2 others), the ID report was given to his family, and the funeral was 3 weeks ago in Sacramento.

Even though it has been 67 years, for a lot of people this is not history. December 7th 1941 is a day that is still LIVING. There are roughly 1,000 sailors still in the USS Arizona, and more still in the USS Utah on the other side of Ford Island. There are hundreds buried as unknowns in the National Memorial Cemetary of the Pacific.

If you are ever out in Hawaii for business or pleasure, you have to go to the USS Arizona Memorial and use your Military ID to take a walking tour of Ford Island. While I was there, I was lucky enough to strike up a conversation with one of the volunteer tour guides and he took me all over the island and game me a great "behind the scenes" tour. The Pacific Aviation Museum is really awesome as well.

 

[OUSOONER]

^----

I've been to Arlington, Punchbowl is definitely on my "To Do" list.

 

[Mumbles]

A few weeks ago I went out to Hawaii on remains escort duty.

Ensign Irvin Thompson was an engineering officer on the USS Oklahoma and was on duty when it was struck by multiple bombs and torps. His remains were recently identified (along with 2 others), the ID report was given to his family, and the funeral was 3 weeks ago in Sacramento.
Even though it has been 67 years, for a lot of people this is not history. December 7th 1941 is a day that is still LIVING. There are roughly 1,000 sailors still in the USS Arizona, and more still in the USS Utah on the other side of Ford Island. There are hundreds buried as unknowns in the National Memorial Cemetary of the Pacific.

If you are ever out in Hawaii for business or pleasure, you have to go to the USS Arizona Memorial and use your Military ID to take a walking tour of Ford Island. While I was there, I was lucky enough to strike up a conversation with one of the volunteer tour guides and he took me all over the island and game me a great "behind the scenes" tour. The Pacific Aviation Museum is really awesome as well.

Bevo,
that's pretty incredible...and what an honor for you! If it's not too uncouth to ask...where did Thompson's remains come from that they were just recently ID'd by your office??

 

[BurghGuy]

Apparently the conference room in the building I work in here in Iwakuni is where Admiral Yamamoto gave the command to attack. It is also speculated that it was mostly planned here also. It's a little bit surreal to think that I'm holding meetings in a room where Pearl Harbor was planned and executed.

 

[Baker17]

OCS takes its perm personal (most of us) to The WW2 memorial in D.C. on Dec 5th to lay a wreath. It was nice last year, snowed a bit. The civilians there really seemed to appreciate it. All the Marines enjoy doing it as well.

S/F
Baker17

 

[MIDNJAC]

Thanks for the story Bevo, that must have been an honor.

 

[zipmartin]

Maybe not a tradition, but a humerous story. Back in the late '70's we had a pilot of Japanese heritage in VA-86....his parents had been in one of the Japanese internment camps during WWII. On the morning of December 7th, 1977, aboard USS Nimitz somewhere in the Med, said Naval Aviator confidently strode up to the flight deck to man up his A-7E in full flight gear, including the white bandanna with the Rising Sun about his head! Many laughs and some humorous comments from the Air Boss!

 

[Bevo16]

If it's not too uncouth to ask...where did Thompson's remains come from that they were just recently ID'd by your office??

It was an honor. Response sent via PM.

 

[OUSOONER]

Maybe not a tradition, but a humerous story. Back in the late '70's we had a pilot of Japanese heritage in VA-86....his parents had been in one of the Japanese internment camps during WWII. On the morning of December 7th, 1977, aboard USS Nimitz somewhere in the Med, said Naval Aviator confidently strode up to the flight deck to man up his A-7E in full flight gear, including the white bandanna with the Rising Sun about his head! Many laughs and some humerous comments from the Air Boss!

Nice, it would have been even funnier if the crew on deck threw their hands up and "banzaiii'd" as he launched and waved their headgear.

 

[Mumbles]

^With the canopy open! Zip, you must have been on the Nimitz during "Final Countdown " filming....or real close.

 

[zipmartin]

^With the canopy open! Zip, you must have been on the Nimitz during "Final Countdown " filming....or real close.

Yeap, was there for the filming and still around for the theatrical release. Our whole squadron went to the theater together on opening night. We weren't quite the celebrities that your Dad and the other Jolly Rogers were, although your Dad was probably gone by then. I can't remember.

 

[OUSOONER]

Yeap, was there for the filming and still around for the theatrical release. Our whole squadron went to the theater together on opening night. We weren't quite the celebrities that your Dad and the other Jolly Rogers were, although your Dad was probably gone by then. I can't remember.

Were you the guy flying the A-7 that couldn't trap and they had to rig the barricade?

 

[Mumbles]

^actually Air Boss Strohssel does tell the the CAG that it's a nugget pilot!

 

[exhelodrvr]

A few weeks ago I went out to Hawaii on remains escort duty.

Ensign Irvin Thompson was an engineering officer on the USS Oklahoma and was on duty when it was struck by multiple bombs and torps. His remains were recently identified (along with 2 others), the ID report was given to his family, and the funeral was 3 weeks ago in Sacramento.

Even though it has been 67 years, for a lot of people this is not history. December 7th 1941 is a day that is still LIVING. There are roughly 1,000 sailors still in the USS Arizona, and more still in the USS Utah on the other side of Ford Island. There are hundreds buried as unknowns in the National Memorial Cemetary of the Pacific.

If you are ever out in Hawaii for business or pleasure, you have to go to the USS Arizona Memorial and use your Military ID to take a walking tour of Ford Island. While I was there, I was lucky enough to strike up a conversation with one of the volunteer tour guides and he took me all over the island and game me a great "behind the scenes" tour. The Pacific Aviation Museum is really awesome as well.

Punchbowl Cemetery, too.

- sorry, just noticed that you included that