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Letter to the Editor: Join effort to help Wilkes-Barre students succeed

<p>DURYEA &#8212; President Franklin D. Roosevelt called it &#8220;a date which will live in infamy.&#8221;</p><p>That date &#8212; Dec. 7, 1941 &#8212; is when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, catapulting the U.S. into World War II.</p><p>According to the National World War II Museum:</p><p>&#8226; The Japanese strike force consisted of 353 aircraft launched from four heavy carriers. These included 40 torpedo planes, 103 level bombers, 131 dive-bombers and 79 fighters.</p><p>&#8226; The attack also consisted of two heavy cruisers, 35 submarines, two light cruisers, nine oilers, two battleships and 11 destroyers.</p><p>&#8226; The attack killed 2,403 U.S. personnel, including 68 civilians, wounded another 1,000 and destroyed or damaged 19 U.S. Navy ships, including eight battleships.</p><p>As I stood listening to the speaker at Monday&#8217;s Pearl Harbor Commemorative Ceremony at the VFW in Duryea, I wondered if President Roosevelt was correct in his statement.</p><p>Will Dec. 7, 1941, really live in infamy? Certainly it should, but will the memory of the tragedy of that day always be with us?</p><p>It&#8217;s up to us to assure we never forget. Us Baby Boomers remember all too well. We are the sons and daughters of World War II-era parents. Most of our fathers or grandfathers, mothers or grandmothers served in the war and instilled in each of us a sense of pride and patriotism.</p><p>We shall never forget.</p><p>But what about those who follow us? Will the great-grandsons and great-granddaughters remember? Will their children and grandchildren carry on traditions like Monday&#8217;s ceremony in Duryea?</p><p>I want to believe they will, but I can&#8217;t feel confident about that.</p><p>There were several veterans at the ceremony, but only from as far back as the Korean War. Dan Stella, commander of the post, said several WWII veterans are members, but can&#8217;t get around much.</p><p>A World War II Pearl Harbor veteran would be, at the youngest, in his or her early 90s.</p><p>Hank Ostrowski is 87 years old and a veteran of Korea and Vietnam. He was 13 when Pearl Harbor was attacked and recalls those times as being scary for Americans.</p><p>Dan Stella said Pearl Harbor is as significant in history as the terrorist attacks of 9/11. He said both tragic events changed history &#8212; they changed the way Americans felt about their security.</p><p>And, as Stella said, they both instilled a sense of pride in every American.</p><p>That&#8217;s what needs to continue long after the last World War II veteran has breathed his or her last breath.</p><p>All of us left behind have to carry on that feeling of pride and patriotism. We have to insist ceremonies on Pearl Harbor Day and Veterans Day, July Fourth and Memorial Day continue.</p><p>We have to always be diligent in acknowledging veterans and thanking them for their service, while at the same time respecting the enormous sacrifice each has given on our behalf.</p><p>As Dan Stella&#8217;s father said to me, if it weren&#8217;t for veterans, the likelihood is we wouldn&#8217;t speak English today.</p><p>Nor would we live in a free country where we enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness &#8212; where we enjoy the freedom of speech, of religion, of assembly. And where we have the right to bear arms and have freedom of the press.</p><p>This is a country in which we should all be thankful to live &#8212; where we should be respectful of those who fought to preserve those freedoms and rights.</p><p>To remain free, we must remain strong. We must have a military ready, willing and able to defend us against those who would attack us.</p><p>Just like when we were attacked on Dec. 7, 1941. Like when we were attacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Like we can be attacked at any time.</p><p>Future generations need to recognize that need. They must accept the responsibility when it is passed to them. We can&#8217;t for one minute ever lose sight of that.</p><p>We need our schools to continue to teach American history. We need parents to instill pride of country and patriotism in their children, so it can be passed on.</p><p>Not only should Dec. 7, 1941, live in infamy, so should the memory of every veteran who ever served.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">John Pliska, vice president of the Duryea Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1227, salutes the flag during a Pearl Harbor Day commemorative ceremony on Monday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL120815PearlHarbor11.jpg</photo0><caption0>John Pliska, vice president of the Duryea Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1227, salutes the flag during a Pearl Harbor Day commemorative ceremony on Monday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_PSD121315PearlHarbor31.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The Duryea VFW Post 1227 Honor Guard fires a 12-gun salute during the Pearl Harbor Day Memorial Service on Monday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_PSD121315PearlHarbor31.jpg</photo1><caption1>The Duryea VFW Post 1227 Honor Guard fires a 12-gun salute during the Pearl Harbor Day Memorial Service on Monday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL120815PearlHarbor21.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">VFW Post 1227 Chaplain William Van Leuven and Senior Vice President John Pliska fold a flag that was hanging outside of the post before hoisting a flag that flew over the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL120815PearlHarbor21.jpg</photo2><caption2>VFW Post 1227 Chaplain William Van Leuven and Senior Vice President John Pliska fold a flag that was hanging outside of the post before hoisting a flag that flew over the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_Columnshot-1-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">In Focus Bill O&#8217;Boyle </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_Columnshot-1-1.jpg</photo3><caption3>In Focus Bill O&#8217;Boyle </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_PSD121315PearlHarbor21.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Duryea VFW Post 1227 Chaplain William Van Leuven and Senior Vice President John Pliska hang a flag that flew over the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_PSD121315PearlHarbor21.jpg</photo4><caption4>Duryea VFW Post 1227 Chaplain William Van Leuven and Senior Vice President John Pliska hang a flag that flew over the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. </caption4><photoCredit4>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Dec. 7, 1941 not the onlything to be remembered</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Memory of Pearl Harbor and all veterans should ‘live in infamy’