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[BigRedDog]

Please take a few minutes out of your busy day to reflect on everything that has happened in the last 70 years

And please note this isn't in the politics thread so if you want to make a political statement out of this historic day please go start your own thread

I've never been to Pearl Harbor but would certainly like to visit

Pearl Harbor, a tribute

[Mayonnaise]

There is a story in our family that my grandfather was a Pearl Harbor waiting on orders to be his next duty. It is said he got his orders in the evening (some say it was 5:30 PM) that he got his order's and left. It was December 6, 1941.
Information is obscure because of my grandfather's past so it's difficult to confirm the story.
It would be interesting to find the proof... One way or the other.

[BigRedDog]

I found an article with several photos from the attack...    I found this one very interesting:



More at:  http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/07/9249784-a-look-back-at-pearl-harbor-attacks-70-years-ago

[BigMike]

Last year my daughter was a member of a group of teenagers who got to go to Pearl Harbor as part of a documentary and to help restore the monument. She was also taking part of the ceremony the Pearl Harbor Survivor Association has every year. Even though I did not have to remind her I did lecture her on respect and treating these guys as straight up Heros.

She had the time of her life. She came back with names, addresses and a BUNCH of stories that will last her a lifetime. The association has a big dinner every year and she was invited. She's a lively girl so she had a lot of those old timers flirting with her and sharing their memories. In fact she has a notebook with nearly 200 pages of their stories. Some of those guys have no family left so she showed them how to use email and helped them set up internet accounts when they got home. Now she gets lots of email from those guys and loves it to death.

Her exact words about more than one of them. They 90 year old man is a straight up bad ***

She already had a deep respect for history but her contact with these living historians was definitely a high light of her young life and it's nice knowing my little girl is making these guys a bit happier in their old age.

[The Fuzz]

If she respects history and integrity she may just be a Big10 fan, Mike.   

It is neat that she was able to participate in something like that.  I would have enjoyed seeing my daughters do something like that as teens.

[Baggins]

Very cool mike, hats off to your daughter...!


Nice link BRD...thanks!

[BigMike]

If she respects history and integrity she may just be a Big10 fan, Mike.   

It is neat that she was able to participate in something like that.  I would have enjoyed seeing my daughters do something like that as teens.

Nope she's a fan of whoever her father and brother are not.

It was maybe the best 2500 dollars I ever spent. She talked to living history, dove with sharks, and harvested pineapples on the last Pineapple plantation in the islands. I wish I could have gone.

Was right up there with taking her to England and France.

[The Fuzz]

Wow....she must be a Big12 or PAC10 conference fan then...

That was $2500 well spent then.

I would have loved taking mine on my work trips to Europe.  Such an amazing place for a history freak to go.

[BigMike]

Funny thing was, we went to Europe on a school trip. My wife and I were asked if we wanted to go and not be chaperones. I really wanted to go to England, was lukewarm about France.
Ended up thinking London was ok but too much like an American city. Had fun touring the HMS Belfast with my daughter. Walked from there across the Tower bridge to the Tower Of London. Had a great time doing that.
Windsor Castle, awesome, we ate at a Pub called the Horse and Groom, it had been there since the 1600s.
Weirdest thing was going shopping on Leicester Square. There was a food stand right in the middle where we stopped to get Lasagna. The owner was from Monroe LOL!!.

Paris was AWESOME. Best time I ever had. The only French words I knew were Bon Jour and Parlez Vouz Englais.

That was pretty much all we needed. Ate Crepes and Foot Long hot dogs at the Eiffel Tower. French hot dogs were incredibly good and I loved how they put the condiments on.
Did the Paris Lights tour on the Seine. And took part in the largest block party in the world. Every night the Parisians go to the Seine with a picnic basket and alcohol. There were literally 200 bands set up along the length of the river playing 1950s rock (The night we participated was Poodle skirt Night) Cost us NOTHING. I yelled Viva La France and people were more than willing to share their food and drinks.
Versailles was incredible. Seeing the Gold Gate was awe inspiring. (Loved eating at the village just to the right of it)
Notre Dame, Well worth it.
Ate at a real Greek place, had the time of my life especially when the staff grabbed my daughter, put her on a table and taught her Greek dances.
French food, best food I have had anywhere and dining is a true event.
The Louvre, great time but have NO idea why they put that HIDEOUS glass pyramid in it.
Some of the best people I have ever met anywhere. Say Bon Jour and they will literally go out of their way to help you!

[ussoccer26]

Nope she's a fan of whoever her father and brother are not.

It was maybe the best 2500 dollars I ever spent. She talked to living history, dove with sharks, and harvested pineapples on the last Pineapple plantation in the islands. I wish I could have gone.

Was right up there with taking her to England and France.

Glad to hear it, not many young people(besides myself of course) that are interested in history.

[BigMike]

Glad to hear it, not many young people(besides myself of course) that are interested in history.

What I like is every day they'll look through the Cable Schedule and look for something I might like and record it.
My son recorded this FANTASTIC 3 part series on Vietnam, had lots of original footage. We had a great time watching it together. It's going to suck when he gets married and moves out.

True story: We went to Williamsburg 4 times on vacation (Stopping at Antietam, Fredricksburg, Gettysburg, and Spotsylvania Courthouse on the way. (Rode horses for 3 hours on the G Burg Battlefield.)

At Williamsburg we offered Busch Gardens all 4 times we went and all 4 times were told can't we find historical stuff to do? We hit Yorktown twice, Jamestown 3 times (Actually helping archeologists once, my daughter still remembers it!) All the Charles River Mansions, toured Presidents houses and spent many happy hours ghost hunting in Williamsburg. In fact as adults they STILL want me to take them there. If you go there. Do the Ghosts Of Williamsburg Tour, the BEST story telling tour in the US.

We've toured top to bottom two WW2 Battleships and have walked Savannah all through the historical district (BTW if you ever get a chance go to Savannah, stay at the Marshall House, have them park your car and walk everywhere, Also remember to eat at the Pirate House and think you are walking on wood that was there in 1700 also the food there is fantastic.)

[ussoccer26]

We've toured top to bottom two WW2 Battleships and have walked Savannah all through the historical district (BTW if you ever get a chance go to Savannah, stay at the Marshall House, have them park your car and walk everywhere, Also remember to eat at the Pirate House and think you are walking on wood that was there in 1700 also the food there is fantastic.)

I'll have to check it out if I ever go out that way. Sounds like some awesome experiences! I've had a couple myself including Jamestown, which was just an awesome place. I've also made my way down to St Augustine to see the old spanish fort and old city as well as eating some great food. Best place I've been to date is Monticello, which is the mansion that Thomas Jefferson designed, built, and lived in.

[Pax]

Seventy years after the US gov't sacrificed a couple thousand men in order to join in the fatal festivity known as WWII we're supposed to be celebrating?  I must've missed something...