KIA. 07 Dec 1941

[go-fish]

I don’t think I have posted these pics but I was reminded of Cecil Webb today. He was from our community and went down with the USS Oklahoma on December 7th, 1941. KIA.
My Dad is a volunteer at the community cemetery and has a couple of plots. The government exhumed many Sailors from Pearl Harbor in the recent years and Cecil was one of them. When they released his remains to be buried the family had a choice of any cemetery in the National Cemetery system; Pearl Harbor, Arlington, Ft Gibson (Oklahoma’s National Cemetery)….
The Webb family chose to have him buried in his family cemetery but plots are few due to the cemeteries age and space available.
Being a good Christian man, my Father donated one of his personal plots. James Cecil Webb is now buried next to my Brother who took his own life a day before Veteran’s Day in 2020. Kris was a 100% Disabled Combat Vet. He was hit with an IED in Iraq and again in Afghanistan 2 years later.
Myself, disabled combat Veteran, joined the Navy immediately after 9/11 and I’ve said all these years that it was my Pearl Harbor moment. We were “attacked” and I felt the calling. I was programmed that way. Fight back, furiously.
I wish all these guys were still among us. Anyone that forgets this day shall be damned.

 

[TT5.9mag]

Thank you for your service. And may peace be with your brother. I spent the last week at Fort Bragg North Carolina for my little (41 years old) brothers retirement from 22 years active in the Air Force. He finished his career with JSOC and during his speech he mentioned that sept 11 2001 was his reason for serving. God Bless America

 

[ocdart]

Never forget this date and what happened.
My uncle was aboard the USS West Virginia the morning of December 7, 1941. He survived the war but the memories of Pearl Harbor never left him.
Thanks for posting.

 

[go-fish]

If he was a Forward Air Controller or Joint Tactical Air Controller with JSOC he was like all the way at the tip of the spear. Bad ***! I worked with some of those guys and they are your best friend because they are your link between you and Close Air Support.

 

[TT5.9mag]

If he was a Forward Air Controller or Joint Tactical Air Controller with JSOC he was like all the way at the tip of the spear. Bad ***! I worked with some of those guys and they are your best friend because they are your link between you and Close Air Support.

Well, as you are probably aware, he was not able to share a lot about what he did or where he went. He is a bad *** though and I have an incredible amount respect for him.

 

[JDMopar]

When I woke up this morning and looked at my phone to see what time it was, I saw the date and told my wife "It's Pearl Harbor Day".

I'll never forget what happened that day, and also never forget when my wife and I were in Hawaii in May of 2003. We visited the USS Arizona Memorial on Memorial Day, by sheer coincidence. There was a survivor of the attack, who was on the Arizona and was one of the few that survived. He had passed away and his wishes were to have his ashes returned to the ship so he could be buried with his shipmates. The USS Carl Vinson had just returned from the Middle East and was docked straight across the channel from the Arizona Memorial. The sailors of the USS Carl Vinson were all on deck in dress uniform, at attention, while the Navy divers placed the old sailor's ashes inside the Arizona. We were informed that it was voluntary, but there had to be THOUSANDS of them on that deck! That's respect!

Thank you to all who served.

 

[go-fish]

At Navy boot camp to graduate you have to go through "Battle Stations". There is a giant warehouse, or maybe there were multiple, where sleep deprived recruits have to navigate various replicas of Pearl Harbor ships. Lights out or red lit compartments that you have to make water tight, " dog the hatches", communicate, work as a team.
I am from Oklahoma and one of the scenarios was on the USS Oklahoma. I can't explain it but I had this anger, this fire in me when going through the ship with my crew trying to plug holes and dog hatches, move, and accomplish task. Being sleep deprived and after weeks of brain washing it really is a mindfvck. It was very emotional because I knew there were many Okies on the USS Oklahoma. I suppose the Navy tried to place Sailors on ships that were named after their home states to boost morale, I don't know but it seems like a Navy thing to do.
Anyway, it was emotional for me. I have always had reverence for the military. Always respected the men and understood that these men were true heroes. I had quite a few uncles that served in Vietnam or had been in service outside of the country. My Grandfather had served in the Navy, eating a couple pounds of bananas to make weight, and lying about his age as a 16 year old, to join. Sadly, he died when my mom was 12 so I could never talk to him about WWII.

 

[barbee6043]

My dad was on leave of the USMC AirCorp and stationed at Pearl the day it was bombed and driving from Ca. to Ga. to marry my mother. He said he heard the news on the car radio thatAM and kept driving, they were married the next day and he left immediately driving back to Ca. then hitching a ride to Pearl.

 

[Dartsun]

Sorry to hear about your brother.