A 'day which will live in infamy'

[MasonCO]

I posted this a few years ago on another board. Thought I'd share it here as well:


Growing up, my parents had a nice trunk in their bedroom. On rare occasions, I caught glimpses of what was inside. After my dad passed away in 1993, my mom and I looked through the trunk a few times, more or less just to get an inventory of the things that were in there: Old letters, lots of old pictures, keepsakes and knickknacks, and stuff that belonged to their parents, etc. etc. We never really dug into anything, as it seemed a little disrespectful to be going through someone else's memories.

With mom passing away earlier this year, we are now finally starting to take time to sort through the trunk and dig into what was formerly kept in nice little bundles, trying to understand some things, laughing at some, and generally just reading and admiring most of the rest.

I am trying to get everything documented and copied/photographed, but my job is keeping me pretty busy and I have not have had the time that I want to devote to this so that everything is completed in an orderly fashion.

However, I had my cellphone with me last night and I couldn't help but capture pictures of the christmas card below. I think the pictures pretty much speak for themselves (Mr. and Mrs. L Mason are my grandparents, and 'Clinton' is my dad).

Grandma Mason's hand written note added to the card:

Clarence Wise, Fireman 3rd Class, was stationed aboard the USS Chew and was killed while aboard the USS Pennsylvania performing rescue work...

 

[BrianSD_42]

Thanks for sharing. I love WW2 history.

One thing I don't get though. The post card is dated 12/03 and PH was on 12/07. How is that possible? Maybe there was a mix up and the envelope is from a different letter?

 

[tx_shooter]

Thanks for sharing. I love WW2 history.

One thing I don't get though. The post card is dated 12/03 and PH was on 12/07. How is that possible? Maybe there was a mix up and the envelope is from a different letter?

Or he mailed the postcard on Dec 3 before he was killed during rescue operations on Dec 7. I think the addendum is what is throwing you off. His grandmother added to the card that he was killed at Pearl Harbor later.

 

[philsey]

Very cool thread OP. I try to imagine what that must have been like ... as a 20 yr-old petty officer, I stood duty on the Cuban blockade. For 16 days we steamed at battle stations, high alert, fire hoses laid out, scared 24X7. Child's play compared to what those guys endured.

I read recently the Japanese PM will visit PH -- now that takes courage.

 

[MasonCO]

Or he mailed the postcard on Dec 3 before he was killed during rescue operations on Dec 7. I think the addendum is what is throwing you off. His grandmother added to the card that he was killed at Pearl Harbor later.

this is it. I could have made the original post a little clearer. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[kyle_uran]

Very cool thread OP. I try to imagine what that must have been like ... as a 20 yr-old petty officer, I stood duty on the Cuban blockade. For 16 days we steamed at battle stations, high alert, fire hoses laid out, scared 24X7. Child's play compared to what those guys endured.

I read recently the Japanese PM will visit PH -- now that takes courage.

I watched a video recently about a Japanese pilot who bombed Pearl Harbor and ended up meeting an American Sailor in the 90s. The pilot gave him money every Christmas or in December to lay a rose at the monument every day. The Sailor did so until he died a few years back.

They talked about how the monument serves the fallen that day, but now also symbolizes 75 years of peace between countries.

 

[Ron4RNevada]

My father was in the US Coast Guard at Alameda, CA. His ship left for Honolulu the next day. I didn't see him much for the next four years.

My uncle worked at San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard, CA. He left for Pearl Harbor the next day to appraise ship damage.

Two other uncles signed up within the week, one in the coast guard and one in the navy.

My aunt joined the US Army as a WAC. She spent the war at the Naval Supply Center in Oakland.

 

[Yukon4Runner]

I think it's a lesson lost on a lot of people today.

Avoid war.

If war is necessary, win.

Peace can come from war.

Remember the sacrifice.


.

 

[LittleCaesar]

I am just amazed that the stamp was only 3 cents. Also the penmanship was first class.

My grandfather's best friend was wounded at PH as a machinist for the West Virginia, he happened not to be on the ship but in the motor pool rebuilding a motor at the time. He told my grandfather his love of motors saved his life.

In perspective, bless all those soldiers who endured hell then in order to secure freedom for us today.