This post is basically a repeat of last years December 7 article. It was meant to honor those who were at Pearl Harbor and adjacent air bases on that day. It is also meant to keep the memory of my father alive.  He was stationed at Wheeler Field and lived at the Schofield Barracks. He died about four years ago and would have been 93 years old on November 25 of this year.  God bless.

This post is quite a bit different from most you will find at Earth Images. Despite it’s appearance it is not about war or gore, but is meant to honor my father who died a few years ago. When the Pearl Harbor Naval Base was bombed on December 7, 1941, so was the near-by Wheeler Field Air (Army) Base. My father was stationed there, and the pictures below are of the air base and the Scofield Barracks where he lived. His job that day was to get damaged air craft flight worthy for a counter attack. He was a Staff Sergeant at the time and his normal job was in fact to oversee a crew that worked on bombers and occasionally on pursuit ships.

My goal is to honor the over 2,000 Sailors and Army Air Corps that lost their lives’ that day, as well as people like my father who fought and survived. I am eternally grateful that my father escaped with only one minor injury.

The first two images below were taken from a Japanese fighter plane that had been shot down, and the other three appear to be pictures taken by U.S. Military after the bombing.

Last year everywhere you looked (in the U.S.) there were memorials for December 7.  This year my country is almost void of recognition of this day. I do understand that last year was the 70^th anniversary. I also realize that because of my father I pay more attention to that day in history than most.  There is a reason beyond that for caring about what happened that day.

In 1941 America was trying its best to stay away from Hitler and the Third Reich as it marched through Europe.  You can’t run away from your troubles or your responsibilities.  Despite the fact that Japan was beginning its march through Asia and had already served notice of aggressive intentions on the U.S., we ignored the warnings.  You can’t run away from your troubles.  Our military had become so depleted that the Army was using cars dressed as tanks for infantry training. We let the military become weak and antiquated because of the economic depression that continued after 12 years, and because of opinions that existed at that time.   Still you can’t run away from trouble.  Ironically it was World War ll that turned the economy around.

A strong military that stands ready, not to use its force over everything we take issue with, but to use it to stop those who clearly intend to use their’s, for insidious reasons, is essential to keep each of us free.  We learned that on December 7, 1941, and a lesson learned should not be forgotten

God Bless each of you…may your lives be filled with Peace and Good Will