Nice!…

These speakers will literally shake the car and the cars nearby with the sound and feel of the bass thumping….

He decided that, for a speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of the September 2nd, 1945 Japanese surrender, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier would make the perfect stage, and the Arizona Memorial the perfect background.

While assigned to The Red Rippers of Fighter Squadron Eleven (VF-11) out of NAS Miramar, attached to Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (”Fortuna Favet Fortibus”) and the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), our entire battlegroup was ordered to deploy from San Diego to Hawaii. The three week trip was entirely in support of Clinton’s photo-op/speech on the flight deck on 2 Sept 95. However, there were a few perks.

About 20 WWII aircraft, including three B-25 Mitchells, an assortment of Corsairs, Hellcats, Gooses, Texans, etc. were craned aboard the Vinson for the trip, and were deck-launched within sight of Waikiki beach. Along with the folks who flew and cared for the vintage planes, several dozen Pearl Harbor survivors, WWII vets (both American and Japanese), and WWII-era War Department personnel were aboard.

The chance to talk with living history is something I’ll never forget, and have already begun passing on to my children. Watching men in their 60s and 70s, who were once enemies, enjoying each others company as brothers was a remarkable experience.

Something of note. More than one of the Japanese veterans who spoke about WWII said that their government had consistently lied to them about how evil and imperialistic the United States was, and how degraded and flawed our society. In every case, they felt guilt that they didn’t know better, even though it was impossible for them to have known the truth. We face the same thing today. Followers of extremist Islam are taught lies about the U.S. and Israel, and learn to hate us. They will never have the chance to learn the truth unless we win.

Never forget.

  USS Arizona National Memorial website  USS Arizona Memorial  65 years ago today Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese.  The Day that lived on in "Infamy"President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s address t…

A significant part of American history will soon be gone, to be found only in the history books. While all Vets deserve our respect and thanks, the men and women who were in World War II deserve an extra share, for it is their service and sacrifice that put The United States of America in a position to become the most powerful nation on the planet. If you know one of these people, thank them and if they are willing to tell you, listen to their stories and remember them, because as we all know, history books can and have been rewritten.

When I look at the state of the Union today, I shake my head and wonder what these people think of what has become of the country they gave so much to protect. We should do more to be like these men and get some steel in our spines, because the war we are fighting now is more like WWII than most of us would like to admit.

The enemy we face now wants the same thing the enemy they defeated 60 years ago, world dominion. Maybe their motivation is different, but the end goal is the same. But if we lose this war, our lot in life will be far worse than it would have been had these men lost WWII. We must take a lesson from The Greatest Generation and do whatever it takes to win. They fought brutal, bloody battles on the land and at sea because that is what it took to win. They destroyed entire cities and their populations, military and civilian, from the air because that is what it took to win. They could not afford to lose, and neither can we.

Remember Pearl Harbor. Remember 9/11.

Some great posts today remembering December 7, 1941. Hot Air has video footage and some great links; the Naval Historical Center has a remarkable photo collection. Did you fly a flag today?……

But then again, the Germans did not surprise attack Pearl Harbor.

brtex on December 7, 2006 at 5:48 PM

What? Haven’t you seen “Animal House.” OF COURSE, the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor. But we didn’t give up then. (Not like we did in Vietnam. Not like we did in Iraq.) No sir’ee.

(Oops. Sorry. Sometimes I can be every bit as funny as Michael Richards.)

You don’t seriously think these two things are the same? And as for political correctness, well its opposite is worse: ever wonder why we interred Japanese Americans but not German Americans?

honora on December 7, 2006 at 4:22 PM

The only “sameness” that I meant to impy here is the “sameness” that I feel when the U.S. Government taxes me and gives my money away to other people (in this particular case, for reasons of political correctness).

Actually, I think it’s worse than that–most schools “teach” the Second WW in a manner that suggests that that Japanese aggression sprang from whole cloth, as did Nazism. No context at all. — honora

…I suggested Brigitte Hamann’s book Hitler’s Vienna on the “reading list” thread, and it’s apt for this thread in light of this rather apt comment.

The book runs through the factions, factors and thought process of the people Hitler used to *QUOTE* as influences. Very enlightening in studying how evil manifests itself.

I’ve never been that enamored of Japan in the ’20’s and ’30’s, but would bet that there’s a correspondingly useful book about Japan.

http://www.foitimes.com/internment/camps.htm

In those days, the “anti-war” crowd called Churchill a “warmonger” and Roosevelt a “puppet of the Jews”. Some conspiracy theorists even claimed Roosevelt planned the Pearl Harbor attacks himself.

My, how things have changed. — Free Kurdistan

…agreed wholeheartedly.

Been to Kurdistan, by the way. What I remember most was the fact that all the children that I saw were beautiful. Women were shrouded, men all looked like birds of prey…but the children were beautiful.

Free Kurdistan, indeed!

And as for political correctness, well its opposite is worse: ever wonder why we interred Japanese Americans but not German Americans?

honora on December 7, 2006 at 4:22 PM

While Japanese-Americans comprised the overwhelming majority of those in the camps, thousands of Americans of German, Italian, and other European descent were also forced to relocate there. Many more were classified as “enemy aliens” and subject to increased restrictions. The Japanese weren’t the only ones in the internment camps.

SilverStar830 on December 7, 2006 at 4:46 PM

Very true. There were internment camps for Germans but not nearly as many. But then again, the Germans did not surprise attack Pearl Harbor.

Typical of our enemies, even today. Iran is a good example!
i.e. the “Friendly” letter addressed to the people of America from the President of Iran. reaching out a hand of friendship so we can lower our gaurd and he can nuke us!! ;)

Sell your car if you have to…but your children MUST BE EDUCATED.

I hear ya sister! I know I’ll never forget what my dad fought for, and if I do ever have kids, they will never forget. And they sure as heck won’t forget 9/11, like the Pelosis and Murthas of the world. (Just imagine if they’d been in power after Bunker Hill. We’d all be singing “God Save the Queen”.)

CHRISTIAN/HOMESCHOOL—-Its the only way to go. Sell your car if you have to…but your children MUST BE EDUCATED.

And as for political correctness, well its opposite is worse: ever wonder why we interred Japanese Americans but not German Americans?

honora on December 7, 2006 at 4:22 PM

While Japanese-Americans comprised the overwhelming majority of those in the camps, thousands of Americans of German, Italian, and other European descent were also forced to relocate there. Many more were classified as “enemy aliens” and subject to increased restrictions. The Japanese weren’t the only ones in the internment camps.

And as for political correctness, well its opposite is worse: ever wonder why we interred Japanese Americans but not German Americans?

Because it would have been way too tough to quarantine Pennsylvania?

“America in an instant became the land of the indivisible,” said former NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw, the author of “The Greatest Generation,” who spoke at the shoreside ceremonies. “There are so many lessons from that time for our time, none greater than the idea of one nation greater than the sum of its parts.”

Which lesson will it take to sink in?

I will never wear a burqa, alive!

That reminds me … How long before we all have to pay cash reparations to the Muslims that we are holding in Gitmo? (just like we had to pay cash out to the Japanese citizens held internment camps between ‘43 and ‘44). What? Don’t think it’ll happen? Me thinks that you underestimate the power of political correctness here in the U.S.A.

You don’t seriously think these two things are the same? And as for political correctness, well its opposite is worse: ever wonder why we interred Japanese Americans but not German Americans?

With apologies to MK and a h/t to Townhall, I’m stealing this tribute:…