A Day That will Live in Infamy

[gforbess at attglobal.net (Gordon Forbess)]

On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 16:08:00 -0800, Chris Bennett
<scirocco16vr32@gmail.com> wrote:

>One of my sailors today I asked her--and she makes me feel old...
>18yrs old if she is a day, not a moment older--I asked her what was
>significant about tomorrow.  She had no idea.  I can say it is sad
>that someone in this day in age can give you a complete rundown of
>every season of "Friends" but doesn't know what December 7th is,
>however I cannot FATHOM (wink wink) the concept of someone serving
>their country in the NAVY and not know about Pearl Harbor.

Two of the "boys" I work for can tell you exactly where they were that
morning.  In fact, we have a meeting tomorrow and it will be a topic
for discussion. They're 87 and 92.  The other event they remember as
vividly is when they heard that FDR had died.  The one who is an Army
vet (D-day +3) has never owned, will not even consider a Japanese car
and is somewhat critical of anyone who buys one.

My generation (I was in college in 1963) can remember the exact moment
they heard about the JFK assassination.  Pearl Harbor day was usually
marked by a bunch of my frat brothers ripping the blankets from the
bed of the lone Japanese member and throwing him into a cold shower to
start the day. 

>So my young sailor is going to give her shipmates a 20 minute oration
>on the significance of tomorrow.  I am not that mean, but the Chief
>Petty Officer that also heard her say she didn't know what it meant,
>IS that mean.

Come on.. you set her up for that E6+ didn't you?  She must have slept
through that part of swabbie basic.

Gordon
75 Mk I/Drake 1.9
http://pws.prserv.net/gforbess/scirocco/scirocco.htm