Walsh, Paterno Downplay Coaching Matchup 
12-7-92

Boy's Needs Are Loud And Clear 
A Mom's In A Financial Jam 
After Quitting Work To Care For 
Her Hearing-impaired Son 
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Photo 
Times Leader/don Carey

Sunday, December 06, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 7B QUICK WORDS: BILL SMITH'S VIEWS ON
VETERANS 





"December 7, 1941, a date that will live in infamy..." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 These were the words spoken by the President of the United States, Franklin
DRoosevelt, as he addressed Congress on Monday, December 8, 1941. He described
the carnage inflicted by the Japanese Empire at Pearl Harbor the day before.
He continued, "since that unprovoked attack, a state of war has existed
between the Empire of Japan and the United States." Thus America was thrust
into what was to become World War II. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; What prompted this attack? What was the real reason? History records that
in 1543, Portugese sailors reached the shores of Japan. These were the first
Europeans that the Japanese had ever seen. Soon after, missionaries began
arriving and attempts were made to convert and christianize the Japanese. For
years this practice was tolerated but then the leaders began fearing that too
many Japanese actually were converting. They also feared that the Europeans,
with their mighty ships and guns, may attempt to conquer the country.
Foreigners were requested to leave the country and the ports were closed to
all foreign visitors. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With the closed ports policy, Japan began its isolation from the rest of
the world. By 1640, the isolation was complete. Shipwrecked American sailors,
however, were allowed to enter the country, but were not allowed to leave.
Diplomatic overtures by the United States to gain the release of these sailors
was tried, but Japan declined. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 As a show of force, America dispatched ships to Japan in an attempt to
force the Japanese to aid these captive seamen. Four ships arrived in Tokyo
Bay on July 8, 1853 and Commodore Matthew Perry delivered a message from
President Filmore to the Japanese on July 14. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Commodore Perry made it clear that he would return for the Japanese
response. When he did return in 1854 he didn't come alone. With him was an
array of ships that were armed and also a contingent of 2,000 Marines and
sailors. On March 31, 1854, Japan signed a treaty with the United States which
stated that American sailors would be well treated and that U.S. ships would
have access to certain Japanese ports to trade and have repairs made. Similar
treaties were soon signed with the European nations and Japan's hundred years
of isolation were over. While Japan began to modernize, America was latching
onto lands in the west. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After the defeat of Mexico in the war of 1898, the U.S. purchased Alaska
and in 1898 annexed the Republic of Hawaii and acquired Samoa, the
Philippines, Guam and Wake Island. Because of these added acquisitions, the
U.S. began building a larger Navy. Japan too was acquiring land in the
Pacific. In late 1880 and the early part of the 1900s, it acquired the
southern part of Manchuria, also Korea, Formosa - now known as Taiwan. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 During World War I, Japan fought with the allies and took control of some
Pacific island groups from Germany at the conclusion of that war. The League
of Nations appointed Japan the administrator of these islands and with these
new possessions, like America, her Navy continued to grow. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 By 1920, Japan had the strongest army and navy in Asia. America felt
threatened. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 America invited Japan, Great Britain and other nations to Washington to
discuss a Nine-Power Treaty. The conference began in November, 1921 and ended,
February, 1922. The results were that each nation represented agreed to
respect the other's rights in the Pacific and each agreed to limit the size of
their navy. Japan was a signer of the treaty but felt cheated for the treaty
called for the Japanese to own three major ships to every five major U.S. and
every five British ships. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With this plan, Japan would have a smaller navy than either the U.S. or
Britain, but because these countries operated in both the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans, Japan would still maintain supremacy in the Pacific. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In 1931 Japan invaded Manchuria and called it Manchukuo. It also invaded
Shanghai and other parts of China and in 1936 withdrew from the naval
agreement signed in 1922 and built more major ships to add strength to its
navy. An incident, the sinking of the U.S. Gunboat Panay, brought forth an
apology from the Japanese government as well as money, for the loss of the
ship. The reason for the apology and remuneration? Japan was still dependent
on the U.S. for oil, iron, tin, nickel, copper and rubber. Without these
materials, Japan would have to give up its desire to conquer more land in
Asia. Part of the apology was a promise that Japan would cease its air bombing
in China. When she failed to abide by her promise, the U.S. curtailed the
shipments of aircraft and parts. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With France and the Netherlands already conquered by the Germans and the
British awaiting an invasion by the Germans, it became clear to the Japanese
that the only nation that could stop them from invading the areas that could
supply natural resources was the U.S. and the strongest weapon possessed by
America was the Pacific Fleet based at Pearl Harbor. On September 27, 1940,
Japan signed the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy in which all three
agreed to assist each other with political, economic and military needs and
with this alliance, America felt it was a move by Japan for war. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So, the stage was set. At 6 a.m., November 26, 1941, a Japanese force of
five aircraft carriers and twenty-five support vessels weighed anchor in
remote Hittokoppu Bay in the Kurile Islands. Twelve days later, the carriers
reached their launch points just north of the Island of Oahu. Captain Mitsuo
Fuchida was the Japanese air strike commander and led 48 Nakajima-97 bombers
like his own, each carrying a 1,760 pound armor piercing bomb. Other
formations held 40 torpedo bombers, whose projectiles were designed for
shallow harbor waters, and 51 dive bombers. In the formations above the
initial strike planes were 43 Mitsubishi type-O fighters - the fast, deadly
"Zeroes" soon to dominate the Asiatic skies. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And so at 7:49 a.m., Sunday, December 7, 1941, Captain Fuchida radioed the
rest of his armada after the first strike, "To-tomato" the first syllable of
"Totsugiki" CHARGE!! Another signal was flashed to his carrier force and to
Tokyo. A code word signifying that the attack was a complete surprise. "TORA,
TORA, TORA" meaning "Tiger, Tiger, Tiger." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With American planes parked wing tip to wing tip at both Hickam and Wheeler
Fields, a move to deter sabotage, the Japanese planes, dove, strafed and
bombed, virtually reducing air support to none. At 8:54 a.m. the second wave
of attackers came in from behind Diamond Head, 54 bombers targeting Hickam
Field and the Naval Air Station at Kanehoe, 81 dive bombers continuing the
assault on the American fleet, supported by 36 Zeroes with their machine gun
and cannon fire. Then, as suddenly as they appeared, they vanished. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The cost to America? Navy - 2,008 killed, 710 wounded; Marines -109 killed,
69 wounded; Army - 218 killed, 364 wounded; civilian - 68 killed, 35 wounded.
Lost were battleships Arizona and Oklahoma; destroyers Cassin and Downes;
along with target ship Utah. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sunk or beached but salvageable included battleships West Virginia,
California, Nevada and minelayer Ogala. Damaged battleships encompassed
Tennessee, Maryland, and Pennsylvania; cruisers Helena, Honolulu, and Raleigh;
Shaw, a destroyer; seaplane tender Curtis; and repair ship Vestal. Army
aircraft included 96 planes destroyed and 128 planes damaged; Navy consisted
of 92 planes destroyed and 31 planes damaged. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Japanese, from a task force of 31 ships and 353 raiding planes, lost
only 29 planes. In addition, one large submarine and five midget, two-man
submarines, which arrived in the Hawaii area earlier, were lost. Total number
of deaths were 64 men, plus an unknown number of crew members aboard the large
submarine. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And so for over four years, America was at war. Although pitifully
ill-prepared for war, she rallied her sons and daughters to her defense and
December 7, 1941 was the beginning. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 December 7, 1941, "a date that will live in infamy" has never been erased
from memories of the men and women, many from our area, who were stationed at
"Pearl" on that fateful day. In recalling that Sunday morning, they will all
relate that the feeling of emptiness, the inability to fight back, was the
epitomy of frustration. Just watching the Japanese planes perfectly
recognizable with their rising sun insignias going about their business with
little or no opposition still brings tears to their eyes. No matter how many
years have elapsed since that day that threw America into World War II, that
sight is still clear and vivid. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 America learned a lesson, although the hard way, never the less, a painful
lesson. Never let her guard down, let preparedness forever be the password.
Let there never be another "Tora, Tora, Tora". &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Let those still standing by their guns and still manning their ships,
although on the harbor bottom, never be forgotten. Let's Remember Pearl
Harbor. Let's remember it with a prayer. Those who still live within the
rusting hulls of ships such as the Arizona will hear. You can bet on it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bill Smith is a Times Leader columnist who writes for and about veterans.
His column appears Sundays. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 To publish items in VIEWS ON VETERANS, write to Bill Smith, care of IN YOUR
TOWN, The Times Leader, 15 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18711-0250.

"december 7, 1941, A Date That Will Live In Infamy..." These Were The Words Spoken By The President Of The United States, Franklin D.