Pearl Harbor Attack,December 7 1941:I take all this information fron internet media and i reach this result that At 12:55 on Tuesday, aged 69, to a moment of the attack on Pearl Harbor, about 25 people gathered to remember the events in the glittering city of the World War II memorial on Colonel Henry Mucci Memorial Green at the corner of State and wide streets.
“We paused in silence to remember those that paid the price of freedom on the same day,” said Thomas L. Kanasky Jr., a lawyer and former Marine colonel who is president of the Greater Bridgeport Veterans Council, and who organized the ceremony. Veterans in attendance, some who fought in World War II, read the names of the 18 sailors from Connecticut who were killed during the attack, the ship bell rang for each name.
Almost all of those who died from a “date which will live in infamy” are either the Navy or Marine Corps.
The mayor Bill Finch thanked the veterans for all this, what are you doing to save the memories and the commitment of our country to live. ”
He has invited veterans to participate in the ceremony is scheduled on January 20 that will celebrate the 50 th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy “Ask not what your country can do for you” speech, “because he talked about service to our country and Service Above Self. ”
Finch said that “we want people to be committed to its ideals that all of you demonstrate every day.”
After the mayor’s remarks, delivered in a biting wind in December Kanasky flag lowered to half staff. By this time, the collection was increased to 35 as a dinner passersby joined the observance. It ended after the recording of “taps” played over a speakerphone, and Kanasky read the first line of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “Infamy” speech that was delivered to Congress the next day after the attack. Congress passed a formal declaration of war in less than an hour later.
Were not veterans at the ceremony were the survivors of Pearl Harbor. Of the 60,000 servicemen and women who were in or near Honolulu on Dec. 7, 1941, it is believed that only about 3000 are alive today.
Ed Mastrone Bridgeport, however, was a World War II Pacific theater veteran who served in Guam, Saipan and the Philippines.
“I was with a second rescue squadron, and we took off from Clark Air Base in the Philippines,” he said. “It was a good experience, let me put it that way. There was a lot of camaraderie, and as veterans, we stick together no matter what.”
Mastrone as veterans of the issues.
“My job was to work on aircraft that sprayed Agent Orange”, said Allen Dullivan Bridgeport, who was a mechanic aircraft in the Air Force for 20 years, from 1954 to 1975, and within two years of his military career in Vietnam.
“There was a military base not far from our base and we had to do everything to support them,” he said. “We have a lot of blood there.”
7 December 1941, 2,388 Americans were killed and another 1,178 were wounded in the surprise Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbor. About half of those who were killed were sailors on the USS Arizona.
The attack was a shocking blow to the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Twenty-one Navy ships were sunk or severely damaged, and 323 U.S. aircraft were destroyed or unairworthy.
Statewide, Governor M. Jodi Rell ordered flags to fly at half staff on Tuesday.
“Annual of the attack continues to inspire a greater sense of understanding and appreciation for those in the armed forces of the United States, who risked their lives to defend this country,” said Rell.
“I urge the citizens of Connecticut to remember and dedicate this day to honor those who so valiantly gave the ultimate sacrifice, their lives to defend this great nation.”
