| Remembering the attack on Pearl Harbor, we | | | | 2,008, Marines 109) and 779 wounded (Navy |
| also should be reminded of the attack on the | | | | 710, Marines 69). The Army (as of midnight, |
| twin towers, the Pentagon, and the botched | | | | 10 December) lost 228 killed or died of |
| try which landed in a field. In all these we | | | | wounds, 113 seriously wounded and 346 |
| come to find out that tomorrow holds no | | | | slightly wounded. In addition, at least 57 |
| guarantee for anyone. | | | | civilians were killed and nearly as many |
| | | | seriously injured." |
| Moreover, on December 7th we take time to | | | | |
| remember of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It | | | | With this battle in the Pacific, America |
| should teach us lessons in the "trust no one | | | | learned for the first time what an enemy can |
| department" and "be on the lookout for the | | | | be like. It was not like others she had |
| next one". | | | | faced. Americans learned firsthand of suicide |
| | | | bombers. Yes, we hear of them all the time |
| Even though, Pearl Harbor happened many years | | | | today. But during WWII, the Japanese really |
| ago today, it should also remind us of the | | | | put it to devastating use. Japanese pilots |
| evil in men's hearts. It reveals to us that | | | | would dive their planes directly into ships, |
| with each day come new challenges. Pearl | | | | making a fireball of tremendous magnitude, |
| Harbor opened up the finite and revealed to | | | | killing many Americans in the melee. |
| us infinity, which sometimes is allowed to | | | | Americans would find out what fighting to the |
| bear its teeth and swallow men whole. On this | | | | end meant as 'soldiers of the empire of the |
| day, Eternities teeth did indeed bear down | | | | Sun' would not give up. At other times, they |
| upon a small island in the Pacific. It showed | | | | would find Japanese soldiers had committed |
| us that "hell" can be revealed to us when | | | | Hari-Kari, rather than giving themselves up |
| Eternity allows it to be so. Of course, the | | | | to the Americans. In the end, America won |
| holder of Eternity is the Lord Himself. When | | | | the War. The cost was monumental in men, |
| Eternity swallowed the men, women, and | | | | women, blood, sacrifice, wounded, and |
| islands of Hawaii, it swallowed the United | | | | rebuilding. |
| States of America. The struggle then became | | | | |
| one, of destiny and purpose, which fought the | | | | Today, America still has enemies. The faces |
| evil that struck out to destroy us. | | | | may have changed, but the battle plan is the |
| | | | same. Their hatred of our way of life and |
| That day held remembrance for our family. My | | | | even ourselves, preclude us from being |
| Grandfather was the City manager of Catalina | | | | passive in this. If we falter one bit, the |
| and also had been the Sea Ranger (like Forest | | | | enemy will take advantage of us. Make no |
| Ranger) working the Island waters surrounding | | | | mistake, Dec 7th, 1941 is a day we remember, |
| it. When the attack happened, my Grandfather | | | | but it is also a warning. Evil never rests. |
| told my dad to get a gun, and "go down to the | | | | People who hate us never stop hating us. |
| dock, shooting anything or anyone parachuting | | | | Rejoicing over our hurts, failures, and |
| from the skies". The people on Catalina that | | | | pitfalls, the enemies of America will not |
| day upon hearing what happened in Hawaii | | | | stop till they destroy us or we destroy them. |
| expected the next step for the Japanese would | | | | There is not a single inch of middle ground |
| be the shorelines of the United States of | | | | here. You will not bargain with this new |
| America. | | | | enemy. You will do it His way or perish. For |
| | | | us, His way is 'death to America and |
| The invasion never came as relieved residents | | | | Americans'. |
| of the island of Catalina found out. But the | | | | |
| events of war came, triggering the inevitable | | | | On September 11th, the attacks by planes upon |
| consequences of such a conflagration. This | | | | American shores took over 3,000 lives. It |
| event would envelop my dad. He had been in | | | | rests alongside Pearl Harbor as a 'day of |
| high school when it all started, graduating | | | | infinity'. The smoke of the twin towers could |
| after the war started. Immediately upon | | | | be seen rising for days. I remember looking |
| leaving High School, Dad joined tens of | | | | at the video of that day. Smoke, dust clouds, |
| thousands of other young people to go to war. | | | | metal falling, fire bursting out the sides, |
| Many of whom, would not come back, while | | | | people running in horror, and in the end a |
| others would come back maimed or hurt. For | | | | pile of twisted metal, housing the remains of |
| Him, being drafted into the Navy was his | | | | innocent people. Many of whom were completely |
| baptism of fire. After going to Corpsman | | | | incinerated by the heat. They were never |
| school, Dad became a medic on the islands of | | | | found. |
| the Pacific. For Him, death and bloodshed was | | | | |
| the way of life. In this struggle, some found | | | | The next scene that brings about the most |
| life. In all of it, though, the battle for | | | | vivid pictures is one of unbelief. There on |
| survival affected everyone involved. Surely, | | | | television bore video of the Palestinians who |
| now, everyone was involved. From those at | | | | were dancing in the streets over what |
| home living with the rationing of goods and | | | | happened to America. Then we saw Osama Bin |
| services to others working in the factories | | | | Laden smiling over the results of the |
| to produce the war materials for those | | | | planning of Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda, meaning |
| fighting on the front lines. It became clear | | | | "the base" had struck the beast as they had |
| that all were affected by this event. | | | | seen it. America in all its worldly trappings |
| | | | was the beast to these Arab warriors. They |
| No one can understand why wicked things | | | | seem to of taken the playbook from the |
| happen. Things happen to good people and bad. | | | | Japanese. Using planes and striking into the |
| Cutting short lives, wedding plans, births, | | | | heart of the enemy. |
| and peace itself. These kind of events | | | | |
| trigger moments in history that for all who | | | | We can never stop in this battle. The |
| are involved never forget them. The occasion | | | | warriors we face will not quit till they are |
| that brought us into WWII lasted only for | | | | dead. They will not bargain nor make truces. |
| around two hours. The attack on Pearl Harbor | | | | If they seem to make a truce, it is for a |
| and on the airfields of Oahu, according to | | | | delay tactic. Both dates are infamous today. |
| the website worldwar2history, show that the | | | | The events, which took place on those dates, |
| Japanese sank or severely damaged 18 ships, | | | | took many American lives. The ability of |
| including the 8 battleships, three light | | | | our enemy to literally 'shake the towers of |
| cruisers, and three destroyers. On the | | | | history' so to speak and bring us into such a |
| airfields the Japanese destroyed 161 American | | | | warring scenario should not be forgotten. In |
| planes (Army 74, Navy 87) and seriously | | | | the wings of history and ebb tides of |
| damaged 102 (Army 71, Navy 31). The Navy and | | | | eternity, another enemy is waiting to destroy |
| Marine Corps suffered a total of 2,896 | | | | us. May God keep us as long as we keep Him. |
| casualties of which 2,117 were deaths (Navy | | | | |