marinemom
12-07-03, 08:16 AM
Pearl Harbor remains 'a day which will live in infamy'
Published Sun, Dec 7, 2003
By MICHAEL KERR
Gazette staff writer
Stephen Murray Sr. tries not to think about Pearl Harbor too much.
The Beaufort resident was a 21-year-old sailor aboard the USS Medusa when Japanese aircrews appeared in the Hawaii morning sky, attacking the Naval fleet anchored in Pearl Harbor as well as nearby Navy, Marine and Army airfields 62 years ago today.
When the attack ended at 10 a.m., less than two hours after it began, 21 ships had been sunk or damaged, 188 aircraft had been destroyed and more than 2,000 Americans, including 49 civilians, were dead.
But, by the grace of God, Murray said, he and the Medusa survived the attack.
"We didn't take any direct hits," Murray said, adding that the repair ship was scraped a bit by "a couple near-misses" during the onslaught. "They were so close É I could have caught 'em with my white hat if I so desired to stick it out there."
While the attack led to fear and confusion, the sailors knew how to respond and did what they needed to do, Murray said.
"When you live with it, you know that's what you're there for," he said.
Murray was asleep on the ship's waterline deck when the attacks began that December morning.
"One of the guys with deck watch came down and alerted us," he said. "We didn't have to be told who it was. We just knew it."
It had been common discussion that the Japanese were going to hit something, somewhere, Murray said.
While the attack certainly wasn't an ordinary event, it was the sort of thing that members of the armed forces had in the backs of their minds, considering the war being waged on the other side of the world, he said.
"That was just it," Murray said. "It was just common play."
And war will remain common play throughout the world, Murray said.
"We are going to be at war as long as there are three people together here on Earth. Somebody's going to want to fight or take advantage of somebody else," Murray said. "The Bible tells us there will be war. It's just going to be."
The Navy will host two ceremonies today at Pearl Harbor in commemoration of the 62nd anniversary of the attack
"A moment of silence will be observed throughout the naval base at 7:55 a.m., the exact moment the Japanese attack began 62 years ago," Navy Region Hawaii officials said in a release. "The service will include prayers, more than 40 wreath presentations, a 21-gun salute and echo taps."
During an afternoon service at the base, Rear Adm. Barry Mc-Cullough, com-mander, Navy Region Hawaii, will pay tribute to the civilians who lost their lives on Dec. 7, 1941, according to the release.
While war is a common theme between Murray's time in the service and today, the country has changed, and many people don't seem to realize the nation is at war, he said.
"It wasn't like that back in those days," Murray said. "Guys were standing in line to join the service, for whichever branch it might be."
But the men and women of the military -- from World War II to the Vietnam War to the sailors, Marines, soldiers, airmen, reservists and guardsmen fighting in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom -- remain the same, Murray said.
"We still have the same true-blooded Americans that are 20, 21 years old, 18 years old, as we had then. I'm quite sure of that," Murray said. "They were brave men then and they're still brave men today too."
Published Sun, Dec 7, 2003
By MICHAEL KERR
Gazette staff writer
Stephen Murray Sr. tries not to think about Pearl Harbor too much.
The Beaufort resident was a 21-year-old sailor aboard the USS Medusa when Japanese aircrews appeared in the Hawaii morning sky, attacking the Naval fleet anchored in Pearl Harbor as well as nearby Navy, Marine and Army airfields 62 years ago today.
When the attack ended at 10 a.m., less than two hours after it began, 21 ships had been sunk or damaged, 188 aircraft had been destroyed and more than 2,000 Americans, including 49 civilians, were dead.
But, by the grace of God, Murray said, he and the Medusa survived the attack.
"We didn't take any direct hits," Murray said, adding that the repair ship was scraped a bit by "a couple near-misses" during the onslaught. "They were so close É I could have caught 'em with my white hat if I so desired to stick it out there."
While the attack led to fear and confusion, the sailors knew how to respond and did what they needed to do, Murray said.
"When you live with it, you know that's what you're there for," he said.
Murray was asleep on the ship's waterline deck when the attacks began that December morning.
"One of the guys with deck watch came down and alerted us," he said. "We didn't have to be told who it was. We just knew it."
It had been common discussion that the Japanese were going to hit something, somewhere, Murray said.
While the attack certainly wasn't an ordinary event, it was the sort of thing that members of the armed forces had in the backs of their minds, considering the war being waged on the other side of the world, he said.
"That was just it," Murray said. "It was just common play."
And war will remain common play throughout the world, Murray said.
"We are going to be at war as long as there are three people together here on Earth. Somebody's going to want to fight or take advantage of somebody else," Murray said. "The Bible tells us there will be war. It's just going to be."
The Navy will host two ceremonies today at Pearl Harbor in commemoration of the 62nd anniversary of the attack
"A moment of silence will be observed throughout the naval base at 7:55 a.m., the exact moment the Japanese attack began 62 years ago," Navy Region Hawaii officials said in a release. "The service will include prayers, more than 40 wreath presentations, a 21-gun salute and echo taps."
During an afternoon service at the base, Rear Adm. Barry Mc-Cullough, com-mander, Navy Region Hawaii, will pay tribute to the civilians who lost their lives on Dec. 7, 1941, according to the release.
While war is a common theme between Murray's time in the service and today, the country has changed, and many people don't seem to realize the nation is at war, he said.
"It wasn't like that back in those days," Murray said. "Guys were standing in line to join the service, for whichever branch it might be."
But the men and women of the military -- from World War II to the Vietnam War to the sailors, Marines, soldiers, airmen, reservists and guardsmen fighting in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom -- remain the same, Murray said.
"We still have the same true-blooded Americans that are 20, 21 years old, 18 years old, as we had then. I'm quite sure of that," Murray said. "They were brave men then and they're still brave men today too."