I can't believe no body posted....

[allencg101]

what happend on this day so many years ago. the act of a country that showed the world what america is all about and what we can and will do if triffeled with. God bless those souls that were lost on this day of infamy and and all out service members that died and fought on and after that day. I am honored to have a family member that rest still to this day on the USS Arizona. freedom isn't free!!!

 

[gr33n]

what happend on this day so many years ago. the act of a country that showed the world what america is all about and what we can and will do if triffeled with. God bless those souls that were lost on this day of infamy and and all out service members that died and fought on and after that day. I am honored to have a family member that rest still to this day on the USS Arizona. freedom isn't free!!!

Well said! I was luck to be stationed out there. Pretty amazing some of the site, I worked on Hickam AFB a few times and their headquarters building for their recon detachment still had bullet holes from the attack. Like you said, FREEDOM ISNT FREE

 

[allencg101]

Well said! I was luck to be stationed out there. Pretty amazing some of the site, I worked on Hickam AFB a few times and their headquarters building for their recon detachment still had bullet holes from the attack. Like you said, FREEDOM ISNT FREE

yeah i was stationed at wheeler army airfield from 95-98 and out barracks still had the bullet holes in them too. I got to see my cousins name on the wall at the arizona. My props go to those that voluntered and those few that answered their country call when they got drafted. I miss those days on oahu and i miss eating fresh mangos and papayas year round when i would go hiking up in the mountains.

 

[K9Luvn]

I thought of it all day.... but did not take the time to stop and write. I am ashamed that I did not take that time as the men and women served for me... for my freedom. I was blessed to have a father that fought in WWII and he did so with honor.

 

[Seeco]

I am honored to have a family member that rest still to this day on the USS Arizona. freedom isn't free!!!

Woah . . . Thanks you guys. Both my grandparents WWII vets.

 

[allencg101]

Woah . . . Thanks you guys. Both my grandparents WWII vets.

yup my grandmas cousin was serving and on the arizona when pearl harbor got attacked and my grandpa her husband was in the old army air corps and served in africa and italy.

 

[fluxlizard]

I had a grandfather on one side who was a little older and had to do some fast-talking to convince them to let him serve in Europe during world war 2. My grandmother on the other side was a "Rosy Riveter" who built planes for the war.

I think none of my grandparents would believe how much the country has changed today. Liberty, individual freedom and responsibility and nurturing for family and local community were their values. Nowadays most of us hardly know our neighbors, let alone nurture our community. Socialism in any form was a dirty word and my grandfather was so against socialism that he never even cashed a social security check even though he paid into the system and even though he was far from wealthy and lived in a very modest home and helped his son work the family farm until the day he died in his 80s. Not because he had to, but because that was how he pursued happiness.

Grandpa once told me that no matter what dream a person chose to pursue in life, and no matter what the competition was, there was always room at the top for the best. He also told me that when you take something, you pay for it in return in some way whether you mean to or not. He was talking about the strings attached to government programs on all levels as well as the principles of management of his farm and the animals and land and family and friendship and community (he was not only a farmer, but the first electrician in his town, a small retail businessman, one of the first automobile mechanics in his town and the mayor of his town).

I am grateful for the sacrifice of that generation, and hope that it still means something more than "we kick ass so don't mess with us" and "we are the best" by the time my own grandchildren are grown. I hope the sacrifice of my grandparents still means my grandchildren are free to pursue their dreams of happiness without a lot of government in the way forcing them to beg permission of the state to do it and speak their minds without a lot of government eavesdropping and censorship and travel freely within country without a lot of paperwork and documentation and permission and searches and indignity...

Freedom isn't free. Sometimes it requires military sacrifice. Sometimes it requires vigilance to hold politicians accountable at election time. Sometimes it requires courage to pursue one's dreams in spite of the risks of a world that has been dangerous since time began and the courage to allow others pursue their dreams and the courage to allow open exchange of thought and debate...

For me, pursuing my dreams and never forgetting the principles of liberty that gave us something to fight for in the first place is the way I try to honor the sacrifice of the warriors of World War 2.

I will never forget why they fought and died...

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Yeah my grandfather was at pearl on the day of the attack. He was blessed to have gotten a shore leave on the day the planes bombed the harbor. He was blessed to have survived the attack but what he saw in the aftermath was very disturbing. God bless America & our military.....

Great post Op cant believe I forgot about it this yr.

 

[allencg101]

Yeah my grandfather was at pearl on the day of the attack. He was blessed to have gotten a shore leave on the day the planes bombed the harbor. He was blessed to have survived the attack but what he saw in the aftermath was very disturbing. God bless America & our military.....

Great post Op cant believe I forgot about it this yr.

I hear on this it was amazing seeing my cousins name on the wall there it truely is a moving place to visit and pay your respect if you havent been i suggest you should go see!!!

 

[Lintini]

My grandparents live on Oahu, it is indeed a very moving place to visit.

Thanks for reminding us Allen

 

[Sticktongue]

My Grandpa was also at pearl harbor when it was bombed. He was a submarine guy. They broke down before it was bombed so they ended up being way later getting to port than they should of. Because of this, they ended up going down the coast to survive. If they would of kept going in to battle they would of been bombed and killed no doubt. My grandpa watched the Japanese planes while it happened. He passed away about 8 years ago. wish he was still around so i could talk to him about that day. THANK YOU EVERYONE IN THE MILITARY! My other grandpa is a WWII vet as well.

 

[Texas Panther Man]

I hear on this it was amazing seeing my cousins name on the wall there it truely is a moving place to visit and pay your respect if you havent been i suggest you should go see!!!

I went yrs ago when I was a kid. It was awesome. I'd like to go back again. The ex wife and I tried to go on our honeymoon but the memorial was closed on the day we tried to go.