Pearl Harbor Survivors Honored
12/04/08 - 02:40 PM
By: Erin Hawley

Bay County, Fla:

67 years ago, American troops suffered an infamous attack at Pearl Harbor. Today the Naval Support Activity Panama City and Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center hosts members of the local chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.

Few remain to tell their stories on the 67th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, but those attending a ceremony at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center got the unique opportunity to hear the story from two men who were there. One of those men is Mr. Ronnie Everitt.

“I had just eaten breakfast, and the building started shaking,” says Everitt. “I asked the sergeant what happened and he said it was the Marines out on maneuvers and that was all I could get out of him. And he jumped out a few seconds later and said, ‘No, no, no it’s Sunday, they can’t do that on Sunday.’ And as soon as he said that we knew it was not the Marines and ran out in the yard and looked up and saw the airplanes flying over and they had the meatball on the side that had the star on it and we knew it was Japanese planes.”

Survivors Everitt and Newton Brooks were honored today by their families and other members of the military. But Everitt says he doesn’t think he should be honored.

“I was doing my duty. I didn’t do anything special.”

HE SAYS THE ONES THAT SHOULD BE HONORED ARE THE ONES WHO LOST THEIR LIVES.

“I think everyone should honor those because there’s some of them still in the Arizona that’s in the bottom of the ocean.”

The NSA Panama City Base has been hosting events for the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association for 10 years. The 67th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor bombing is Sunday, December 7th.

Ellie