Today, December 7th, is the 75th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. I was twelve years old when we heard the news on a Sunday afternoon but none of us knew where Pearl Harbor was. We quickly found out. Panic ensued on the west coast and blackouts were instituted from Seattle south. Back home mobilization commenced and Chrysler quickly converted from autos to Jeeps and tanks. There were scrap metal collections, ration books, Savings Bond drives and consumer shortages in a full wartime effort. Twenty years later when visiting Honolulu I took the tour boat to the USS ARIZONA memorial where many of our sailors are entombed. The vessel cut engines and the silence was deafening. Back then they collected our cameras before entering as this was still an active naval base. I shall always remember that day.
tjs
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