December 7, 1941-- "a date which shall live in infamy". That was 71 years ago! But it was indeed a date that has lived on in the memories of those who were there and in the minds of those of us who have merely heard and read about it. Just as some of us recall where we were the day the JFK was shot, or when the Challenger space shuttle came crashing down, or the events of September 11, 2001. The lives of an entire generation were changed on that day. Indeed, the world as it was known was changed on that day. What arose out of the ashes of Pearl Harbor was what has come to be known as "the Greatest Generation". Those are people who sacrificed their youth and sometimes their lives to ensure that the American way of life endured.
My junior high students and I had the privilege of hearing Mr. Horace Hamilton speak. Mr. Hamilton was a 17 year old Navy gunner's mate stationed aboard the U.S.S. Phoenix. He witnessed the Japanese attack. He fought to protect his ship, his friends, his way of life, his country. He gave over 4 years of his youth to the service and defense of our nation. Thank you, Mr. Hamilton. Thank you for sharing your experiences with my students and others. God bless you and God bless America.
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