On this day in 1941, the Empire of Japan launched a surprise attack on the US fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The result was 2402 killed by enemy action and 21 ships damaged or sunk, including 8 battleships, with two permanently lost (USS Arizona and USS Utah). Understandably, the event plunged the United States into World War II.
Let’s all take a moment to consider those who gave it all for freedom and the American way. We ow them a debt we can never repay.
While we remember Pearl Harbor, a day that will live in infamy,
NEVER FORGET WAKE ISLAND [U.S. Territory attacked and later invaded by Japan].
The Battle for Wake Island occurred nearly simultaneously as the attack on Pearl Harbor, but it was over the international date line so it is recorded as occurring on December 8, 1941.
U.S. MARINES and unarmed U.S. Civilian construction contractors [the DoD was afraid to arm them for fear “they would be treated like enemy combatants”] fought off Japan for nearly a month and had the only repulsion(s) of amphibious landings [3 separate times].
Wake was considered too difficult to recover, and all aid went to Pearl and the defenders of Wake Island, on December 23, 1941, were finally captured and interred or died like dogs.
https://www.amusingplanet.com/2015/02/the-98-rock-of-wake-island.html
That is the reason the U.S. NAVY stood up its fighting Construction Battalions [CBs], The U.S. NAVY SEABEES.
HOORAH !!!
And our fight song recites “And We Promise To Remember, The 7th of December” NOT because of Pearl, but because of Wake.
N E V E R F O R G E T
GOD BLESS MY BEES.
“Construimus, Batuimus.”
We Build, We Fight.
What’d you have in mind?