Remembering Pearl Harbor
Ray’s dad’s life changed dramatically on Sunday, December 7, 1941. Japanese planes made a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii that day. Wes Notgrass’s one year stint in the U.S. Army grew to four years, one month, and seven days, a length of time he reminded us of on many occasions. His stint in the Army increased because on December 8, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt asked the U.S. Congress to declare war on Japan.
Yesterday when Ray reminded our congregation that it was the anniversary of what President Franklin Roosevelt called “a day that will live in infamy,” I decided to tell you about our visit to Pearl Harbor while we were in Hawaii in the fall. We got up while the stars were still out so that we could be among the first to disembark the cruise ship that morning. The number of tourists who could go out to the USS Arizona Memorial was especially limited that day due to necessary repairs that were ongoing. We wanted to be among the first to ask for tickets.
We saw Diamond Head as we neared Honolulu.
Ahead we could see the sun rise beyond the skyline.
We arrived at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial in time to hear the National Anthem and watch the posting of the colors.
Once inside Pearl Harbor National Memorial, we hurried to the proper ticket counter to reserve a place in the line and hoped we would be one of the ones who got to ride the boat over to see the USS Arizona Memorial. It was hard not to hover around the sign that posted numbers.
We strolled around the grounds on that very hot day. We visited the museum, and we waited.
In the early morning hours of December 7, 1941, the Japanese launched a massive surprise air assault on the American naval and air bases at Pearl Harbor. In two hours, they destroyed about 150 American planes and eight battleships. Some 2,400 enlisted personnel and civilians were killed and another 2,000 were wounded. The toll was especially large on the USS Arizona where 1,177 died. The heavily damaged ship sank two days later, and today the bodies of over 900 of the dead still lie in repose in the sunken ship.
In the museum, we saw this clock which belonged to Chaplain Thomas Kirkpatrick. It stopped about the time that the USS Arizona exploded. Chaplain Kirkpatrick died aboard the ship. Kirkpatrick had become eligible to retire six months earlier, but felt that with the trouble around the world, he should remain in Navy. In 1943 the U.S. Navy named a ship the USS Kirkpatrick in his honor.
This Bible was recovered from the USS Arizona.
Finally, we learned that we could join the line of visitors who could ride the boat over to the USS Arizona Memorial, which stands over the sunken battleship and the more than 900 people buried inside.
After our visit, Ray and I had a long conversation with this park ranger who served as our interpreter.
We had been told that no one was going to be able to get off the boat that day to go into the memorial, but that we would get to pass nearby. To our surprise, the boat stopped, and we got to get off the boat and go inside.
Beyond this entry way is a list of all those buried beneath the memorial.
Personnel who survived that day may have their ashes interred with their shipmates. These are the names of some of those and the dates they were interred.
Here is another view inside the memorial. Notice that the memorial allows visitors to view the battleship beneath.
These workers were making repairs to a portion of the battleship that is still visible above the water.
The repairs were a large operation.
We rode the boat on the right to reach the memorial.
The USS Arizona Memorial is a joint effort of the U.S. military and the National Park Service. Pictured here is one of the service personnel who was serving as either the captain or first mate that day.
As we rode away from our time to honor those who died on the Arizona, we saw this pretty view of the memorial in the morning sunshine.
I noticed a mother, father, teenage daughter, and grandmother among our group. The father was instructing his daughter to help her understand what the memorial meant. Oh, how we need to remember the sacrifices others have made in our behalf. Survivors of the attack have long been honored guests at the annual commemoration held there each year. For the first time since that practice began (except in 2020 when the commemoration was closed to the public), no survivors were able to attend yesterday. Only twelve remain, and all are over 100 years old. None was well enough to be there this year. It is therefore up to all of us to make sure that this part of our history is not forgotten and that those who served receive the honor due them.
Render to all what is due them:
tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom;
fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
Romans 13:7
We have the privilege, too, of honoring our Savior Who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the whole world.
For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest,
holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners
and exalted above the heavens;
who does not need daily, like those high priests,
to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins
and then for the sins of the people,
because this He did once for all
when He offered up Himself.
Hebrews 7:26-27