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