Dec 7, 1941: Revisiting a Pearl Harbor Memorial

"A military man can scarcely pride himself on having 'smitten a sleeping enemy'; it is more a matter of shame, simply, for the one smitten. I would rather you made your appraisal after seeing what the enemy does, since it is certain that, angered and outraged, he will soon launch a determined counterattack."  --  Admiral Isoroku Yamamto (January 9, 1941)

I always think there is nothing one can say about the tragedy of Pearl Harbor, any more than one can say anything of meaning about the Twin Towers and 9/11.  These kinds of things are ingrained in our souls and etched in our memories for life eternal.  They make us emotional, angry, and, at times, speechless.  For the younger people that don't know of such things, there are television specials that try to explain it.  Trying to explain such deep emotional trauma falls far short of reality.

There is an interesting letter which I think has great meaning, not just in remembering Pearl, but in trying to explain why these brave military died, why they made the ultimate sacrifice.  It is a sacrifice all military people pledge to make for the security of their country, their flag, and their families.  It is a sacrifice the families pledge to make with them, as they risk the loss of a spouse, or a parent, everyday.  The letter is from Chaplain Richard House, a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy on December 7, 2005 and is entitled, "Letter from a US Navy Chaplain in Bahrain on Remembering Pearl Harbor." 

Chaplain House and I joined up and took our oath around the same time in life, at the end of the Vietnam War.  I grew up as a quasi-hippy around Big Sur in central California.  My father had served in the Air Force, and was a proud American.  I was raised to understand what taking this oath meant, about love of country, family, and God.  Like the Chaplain, the words took on new meaning as my career progressed.

I think it really hit home when I was stationed in Sicily.  This was during the transition period from Desert Shield to Desert Storm, but the blowback had already started.  One day, just after lunch, I happened into the loading dock area after crossing the aircraft parking ramp.  As I entered the door to the staging area, I came to an abrupt stop.  Caskets were lined up with flags draped atop each one.  There were two guards standing at attention, one at either end of the large room, watching over them.  The caskets were lined up, side by side, from one guard to the other.  It was not a small room.  I subconsciously came to attention.  It was very quiet in the staging area.  I was choked up and could feel the tears welling in my eyes.  I did an about face and left.  Shortly after that I was transferred back to Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington to assist with the possible deployment of the 92nd Bombardment Wing B-52 force in support of Desert Storm.

Chaplain House offers us the following:    

   “Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”   

            Thus begins the speech by President Franklin Roosevelt to the Congress the day following the attack.  I invite you today to take a moment to recall the sacrifice of our comrades early one Sunday morning 64 years ago. 

Of my generation each can recall where they were when President John F. Kennedy or the Reverend Martin Luther King were assassinated.  Younger generations of those in uniform know their location when the two planes struck the Twin Towers, another the Pentagon, and yet a fourth that landed in a field in Pennsylvania... 

Perhaps to many of you, Pearl Harbor is but a page from a history text, but those of my mother’s generation know exactly where they were on that Sunday.   Though perhaps not here in Bahrain, there are many in our country that have no doubt where they were on that fateful day, for they were there.  By these words I hope to honor those who still bear scars, both physical and emotional, along with their fallen comrades, and all who mourn their loss. 

As a relatively new chaplain with only five years on active duty I sought out the advice of those senior to ask the question, “What should you say in such a memorial?”  I could share with you the details of the attack, the battle plan, and our response.  I could list the ships lost and those spared.  We could read the names of the 1,177 wounded.  We could toll the ship’s bell for the 2,403 killed that day. From Chaplain Corps history I could recall that nineteen chaplains were on duty in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor that day.  I could extol the courage and sacrifice of Chaplains Schmitt and Kirkpatrick, the two Navy Chaplains killed at Pearl Harbor.  We might also recognize those who survived the attack and gather together in memorials around the country today. 

But today I would rather speak to that which might have brought our comrades to the place of making that supreme sacrifice. If I may, I would like to share with you the oath, or one similar, that each one of us who have worn the uniform of the United States, took at one time: 

“I . . . solemnly swear or affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter, so help me God.” 

Let’s look at this oath as we recall those we honor today. 

“I . . . solemnly swear (or affirm)” There are precious few things in life that we hold as truly solemn.  While we would surely include family and loved ones as precious; it is often that things thought to be solemn are confined to places of worship: mosques, temples, synagogues, churches, or cathedrals. 

Those who died and fought on December 7^th, and all those who have served our country in uniform throughout our history, took an oath, raised their right hand and spoke these or similar words. They swore a solemn oath.  What can be more solemn that keeping one’s word!  They kept their word!  I ask you, what can be a more solemn gift than a life given for another?  They proved this beyond a shadow of a doubt! 

“support and defend”  Those who died and fought that day did just that.  They supported and defended the Constitution of the United States and the freedoms expressed therein.  The surprise attack on that Sunday morning caught America, and our comrades, off guard.  We as a nation were not prepared.  They defended their shipmates, and their country with their blood and their very lives.  They offered support and defense to those alive on that day, as well as all of us not yet born. 

“true faith and allegiance”  I looked up these three words in the dictionary, and among their definitions I found the following: steadfast, loyal, honest, just, ideal, essential, belief, trust, constant, duty, confidence, conviction, obligation, fidelity, devotion, and loyalty. 

Were our comrades perfect?  No. Were they perfect examples of these ideals?  No.  By virtue of their actions, did they strive for these ideals?  Most definitely!  It is our hope that we might be able to attribute some of these to ourselves, and especially to those of us in uniform.  If we find ourselves in struggle as we strive for these ideals, we are then privileged to have the example of those whom we recall today for inspiration as we attempt to live them. 

“so help me God”  We conclude this oath of service to our country with the powerful words, “so help me God.”  As a believer I strive to live my life according to sacred scripture, the teachings of my faith, and my trust in God.  I first took this oath as a teenager at the end of the Vietnam War.  I raised my hand again when in middle age I began service anew as a chaplain.  I now recognize that I did not fully understand these words thirty-three years ago.  While I may feel that I have a better sense of them now, no one truly knows how they will respond until they are called upon to do so.  If, and when we are called, it is only with the help of God that we will be truly able to attempt to live this oath to its fullest. 

As this oath concludes with, “so help me God”, there is little doubt as to whom we will one-day answer.  God alone will judge us.   Our prayer is, that as we are called upon to put these ideals into action, that we will respond as well as those we honor and remember on this 64^th Pearl Harbor Day.

I have one final message, if I may be so bold.  As a patriot I feel it should be repeated frequently and at some volume, since our leaders seem to be deaf.  This short message is for any President of the United States, not just the current one: 

Mr. President you cannot weaken our Constitution, or our military.  Notice that I said "cannot," and not "should not."  Try as you might, this will never happen.  The majority of this country is made up from people of patriotism, pride, conscience, and God.  They forget this, at times, usually when we're electing our leaders.  We have been trusting citizens, prone to gullibility, falling for the lies, half-truths, and politics of deceit.  We find out, all too late, that we may have erred with our vote.  The homeless, the poor, the illegal alien, and the student may get a President elected, but that has no bearing on, or guarantee of, their willingness to die fighting for that President.  We patriots take this oath of service, with powerful words like "so help me God," because this is our country, and we remember! 

We will always remember, Mr. President.  A fact you should not ever forget!

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

-- Thomas Jefferson

God bless all of our men and women in uniform, military and civil servant alike.  They do a job that not many are willing to do and, sometimes, pay the ultimate price.  God help our leaders to make the right decisions, and remember for whom they work.

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion and debate in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years as a military intelligence analyst, planner, and briefer, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Frank Anthony Villari (aka, Pastor Tony)

Pastor Tony is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path."