PEARL HARBOR DAY/ B-DAY

     72 years ago today an earth shattering and almost unbelievable act took place. The "sneak attack" on the U.S. Military Installation at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. I am sure everyone is aware of this historical event. The younger people, from reading it in their history books and some of us who are a little older were alive at the time as we were born in the 1930 era.
     I will ALWAYS remember it because the attack that brought the USA into WW II had a close connection to me personally. I was having my 10th B-Day party at our home on that day and our next door neighbor came running in the back door of our home yelling, "The Jap's have bombed Pearl Harbor and we are at War. I just heard it on the radio." I cannot remember who all was attending my Party but I do recall that ended it when she came running in. Some of the guys immediately ran home and the rest just stood around talking about what actually happened and what would happen in the future.
     I suppose as I get older I will always remember my 10th B-Day and the connection with Pearl Harbor Day.
     As I sit here and jot these thoughts down some other things filter through my mind about that trying time in the lives of people I knew.
     * VE Day --May 1945 was a day of celebration because of the end of the war in Europe.
     * VJ Day -- Aug 1945 (sometimes actually celebrated in Sept. in some places of the world.) I and a group of boy scouts were camping at a lake called Boulger Reservoir. A Forest Ranger came by and told us that the War with Japan was over. We had a couple of big watermelons cooling in the creek so we went and got them and had a real old fashioned "watermelon bust." We ate all the watermelon we could hold then threw rinds at each other and run around yelling and laughing. We finally all got together with our leaders and decided to tear down camp and head for home.
     * Gold Star Mother flags in the windows of homes.
     * Blue Star Mothers flags in windows.
I am sure that everyone who might read this has many memories of their own but as I have received many Happy B-Day thoughts from people it has just stirred up my connection to Pearl Harbor Day I decided to share just a couple.
Wally