76 years ago today at five minutes to 8 AM in Hawaii the silence, and peace, was broken by the sounds of approaching planes. Those stationed on the military bases and ships looked up never expecting what was about to happen.
Imperial Japan struck first using planes from six aircraft carriers to launch a surprise attack upon the US Pacific fleet based in Pearl Harbor.
There is a lot about the subject written, supporting both a conspiracy and denying it. However, what it did do was bring a nation together. Americans learned of the attack while listening to the baseball game on the radio and newpaper extras.
The United States had been thrust into the world at war in a sobering attack. By the end of the attack the main battle fleet of the US Navy lay in ruin, eight of its battleships sunk, sinking or damaged in one form or another.
Over two thousand had lost their lives in the attack. Many on board the USS Arizona, lost when she exploded, broke in two and sank. The USS Oklahoma would roll over and sink and although righted, was sold for scrap. The target ship, USS Utah still remains where she rolled over as well on the other side of Ford Island.
They remain as testaments to a nation unprepared, divided even.
We have lost those lessons, that even though we re divided, we are all Americans. Doesn’t matter if your black, or white, gay or straight, Christian or atheist, be proud you live in a nation which embraces them all as equals.