Remembering Pearl Harbor

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Today is Tuesday, December 7th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Mary Reichard.

NICK EICHER, HOST: And I’m Nick Eicher.

It was eighty years ago today that Japan bombed the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor. The attack killed 2,403 Americans and destroyed much of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Congress declared war on Japan the next day, and thus would enter the conflict that would become known as World War II.

REICHARD: Most of the brave men and women who witnessed the events of that day are no longer with us. But their memories live on, thanks to technology.

Over the years, WORLD reporters have talked to several veterans about their experiences in World War II. We’ve gone back through our production archives and pieced together this tribute to the men and women of the armed forces, and their loved ones, who lived through the attack.

EICHER: In order of appearance: Fred Aldridge, Bill Muehleib, Edith Fridely, Jack Cornelison, Tom Bass, Jim Downing, Jones Penwell, and Leonard Livingston.

FRED ALDRIDGE: Yeah, it was a regular Sunday morning. Everybody wanted to sleep in but of course, they had revelry and made everyone get up.

BILL MUEHLEIB: We heard these noises and we could see the aircraft attacking the installations on Hickam Field. And remember, this happened in the daytime, but because of the burning oil and fuel and ships and so forth, it was dark, tremendous amount of noise.

EDITH FRIDLEY: I first heard about Pearl Harbor being bombed when I came home from church, and I heard the radio telling all about it. We knew we had to do something.

PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DELANOR ROOSEVELT: Yesterday, December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy.

JACK CORNELISON: I don't know how you explain terror (laugh). It’s not easy. I still have flashbacks.

FDR: The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

TOM BASS: They didn't want the war. But they were forced into it of course. That is one day, I will never forget.

FDR: I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost.

JIM DOWNING: So just while I was fighting fires, I said “now the parents will never know what happened to their sons.” So I began to memorize these names. I was the postmaster on the ship, so I had access to their addresses. So that's what I did until the fires were out.

FDR: With confidence in our armed forces. With the unbounding determination of our people...

JONES PENWELL: The battleship is turned over with bottom-side up. It was slick when I bailed off into the water there and the water was on fire. No one else out of that battleship Oklahoma came up after it was bombed and rolled over of course.

FDR: ...we will gain the inevitable triumph. So help us God.

LEONARD LIVINGSTON: I've been to God-awful places. So you know, when you come back to the United States, you learn to appreciate it. I know I do.

FDR: No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion. The American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory! [APPLAUSE]

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