Photo By Chief Petty Officer Jose Jaen | FORT WORTH, Texas (Dec. 7, 2021) Capt. Mark McLean, commanding officer, Naval Air...... read more read more
FORT WORTH, Texas (NNS) Service members commemorated the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor during a ceremony on board Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, Dec. 7.
The special guest for the ceremony was Pearl Harbor survivor, Army veteran Dale Robinson. Robinson was at the Schoffield Barracks with the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division when the events unfolded that day.
“I thank you for taking time out of your day to remember all the heroes of Pearl Harbor and ask that you never forget the sacrifice each of them made for the advancement of our people and our purpose,” said guest speaker, Capt. Mark McLean, commanding officer, NAS JRB Fort Worth. “Today’s Navy lives on through their legacy. Their bravery and courage has not been forgotten and they remain an inspiration to our current and future generations of Sailors.”
During the ceremony, master of ceremonies, Chief Electronics Technician Peter Ruland gave a chronological sequence of events from the morning of Dec. 7, 1941 when Japanese aircraft flew over the island with the purpose of crippling the U.S. fleet, destroying as much fuel and ammunition supplies as possible and exacting a heavy death toll on the U.S. forces stationed at Pearl Harbor.
“Pearl Harbor was the site of an event that changed not only the United States, but the world,” said Ruland. “Dec. 7, 1941 marks the fateful day the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the naval base on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.”
Overall, the death toll of the attacks on Pearl Harbor was 2,403 with an additional 1,178 wounded. The Japanese were also able to destroy 169 aircraft and damage 159 more. They also destroyed three ships and greatly damaged 16 more.
“I’ve taken the boat ride over to the Arizona memorial and stood on the decks of the USS Missouri looking out over the waters of the calm harbor trying to imagine the shock and chaos that gripped those water 80 years ago today,” said McLean. “Imagining the smoke, the flames, the rush of torpedoes, broken ships and planes, and our men running to their battle stations as the enemy flew overhead, running to fight, and not knowing the worst. Think of the thousands of stories that will never be told, the letters home never finished, the deck watches never turned over, the homecomings never enjoyed.”
McLean recognized a few of the thousands of service members who demonstrated true acts of heroism as they ran into danger to save shipmates or defend their ships and airfield. Some of the brave service members mentioned were Ens. Francis Flaherty, Lt. John William Finn, Chief Boatswain’s Mate Edwin Joseph Hill and NAS JRB Fort Worth’s distinguished guest, Dale Robinson.
At the barracks in Pearl Harbor, Robinson saw the Japanese fighter planes fly right overhead. He joined his fellow soldiers during the chaotic scene to find weapons and ammunition in attempts to fight back. Robinson left Hawaii about a year later and shipped off to Europe. He even took part in the invasion of Normandy in June of 1944 where he went ashore at Omaha Beach. Robinson went on to receive the American Defense Service Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the European, African, and Middle Eastern Campaign Medals, the American Theater Medal, and the Victory Medal.
“Inspiring stories like Lt. Finn, Chief Hill and Staff Sgt. Robinson are what continue to attract like-minded people to join our force,” McLean said. “Over the past year, more than 41 thousand Sailors have joined the Navy. Many of these Sailors are right now, afloat and ashore, as part of the joint team of warfighters continuously training to deter, fight and win our nations wars… on watch in distant parts of the world, away from friends, families and loved ones so that our nation may carry the banner of freedom throughout the globe.”
| Date Taken: | 12.07.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.08.2021 16:51 |
| Story ID: | 410753 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 215 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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