On this special day (December 7th) when we remember Pearl Harbor - I would like to share a chapter from my book "Gibbon's Secrets".
On December 7th 1941 - Reg, Addie, Jean and Bud were visiting next door at their neighbors, George and Cecil Pitke's. The Pitke's had invited them over for Sunday dinner after church. When everyone was seated around the table, Cecil said, "I wanted to share this special treat of having our son Dale home on leave from the Navy." Dale quickly responded, "Mom and Dad, you are such a blessing to me and being home with you is really something special. Dad, would you say grace before our meal?"
George said, "It is with pleasure today, that I thank Thee Lord for the joy of spending this Sunday with our son Dale, and our special friends the Phelps'. Lord, we ask Thee to continue protecting our loved ones, and to bless this food that is seat before us. In Jesus' name we pray - Amen."
Bud was so proud that he got to sit next to Dale, and would be able to learn all about ship-board duty. "Dale, what is is like being stationed on the USS Arizona?" Dale smiled, and said, "Well Bud, it's pretty exciting. The Arizona crew's total ship's company is more than the total population of Gibbon, and she also has many of the same conveniences found in any small town." Bud could not even imagine a ship that would hold that many people, and have stores, places to eat, places to sleep, and even a hospital. "Do they even have movies aboard ship?" "Yes, they do, and we get to see all of the latest releases." "Wow! You probably see movies before we do in Gibbon." "I'm sure that sometimes we do. Did you see 'Aloma of the South Seas', staring Dorothy Lamour?"
"Yes I did, I took Marilyn Kirk to that movie on a Saturday, and Dad gave me a quarter to take her. Since the tickets were nine cents each, I had enough left over to buy a bag of popcorn to share with her!" Dale laughed, and said, "You are one big spender, Bud. It's amazing that you could do so much with a quarter.
The radio was on, with a low pleasant sound of music in the background, when the song was interrupted with a news flash. "It was just reported that Japan has delivered simultaneous bombing attacks on Pear Harbor, the Philippines, Wake Island, and Guam. Japanese forces have invaded Malaya and Thailand, seizing Shanghai, and declaring war on the United States and Great Britain."
Everyone was in shock! Dale immediately contacted the Naval Headquarters in California, and was ordered to return at once. Bud said to Dale, "I want you to know that your are my hero, and I will think of you every day. I promise that when I'm old enough I'm going to join the Navy, too." "Thanks Bud, I'd like you to do me a favor while I'm gone. I want you to be my pen-pal, and keep me posted on what's happening here at home. Will you do that for me?"
"You bet! I promise to write you every week, and probably my buddies will add little notes too.
On December 8th - President Franklin Delano Roosevelt announced to the nation by radio that the United States had declared war on Japan. Several days following our declaration of war against Japan - Germany declared war on the United States.
These events were blows felt by the entire country. and it could quickly be seen that his small town of Gibbon was showing its own effects of these blows. Its young men were quickly heading to the recruitment centers in Kearney and Grand Island. The Five Friends Forever banded together to pledge a patriotic bond supporting the United States until World War II ends in victory.
On December 7th 1941 - Reg, Addie, Jean and Bud were visiting next door at their neighbors, George and Cecil Pitke's. The Pitke's had invited them over for Sunday dinner after church. When everyone was seated around the table, Cecil said, "I wanted to share this special treat of having our son Dale home on leave from the Navy." Dale quickly responded, "Mom and Dad, you are such a blessing to me and being home with you is really something special. Dad, would you say grace before our meal?"
George said, "It is with pleasure today, that I thank Thee Lord for the joy of spending this Sunday with our son Dale, and our special friends the Phelps'. Lord, we ask Thee to continue protecting our loved ones, and to bless this food that is seat before us. In Jesus' name we pray - Amen."
Bud was so proud that he got to sit next to Dale, and would be able to learn all about ship-board duty. "Dale, what is is like being stationed on the USS Arizona?" Dale smiled, and said, "Well Bud, it's pretty exciting. The Arizona crew's total ship's company is more than the total population of Gibbon, and she also has many of the same conveniences found in any small town." Bud could not even imagine a ship that would hold that many people, and have stores, places to eat, places to sleep, and even a hospital. "Do they even have movies aboard ship?" "Yes, they do, and we get to see all of the latest releases." "Wow! You probably see movies before we do in Gibbon." "I'm sure that sometimes we do. Did you see 'Aloma of the South Seas', staring Dorothy Lamour?"
"Yes I did, I took Marilyn Kirk to that movie on a Saturday, and Dad gave me a quarter to take her. Since the tickets were nine cents each, I had enough left over to buy a bag of popcorn to share with her!" Dale laughed, and said, "You are one big spender, Bud. It's amazing that you could do so much with a quarter.
The radio was on, with a low pleasant sound of music in the background, when the song was interrupted with a news flash. "It was just reported that Japan has delivered simultaneous bombing attacks on Pear Harbor, the Philippines, Wake Island, and Guam. Japanese forces have invaded Malaya and Thailand, seizing Shanghai, and declaring war on the United States and Great Britain."
Everyone was in shock! Dale immediately contacted the Naval Headquarters in California, and was ordered to return at once. Bud said to Dale, "I want you to know that your are my hero, and I will think of you every day. I promise that when I'm old enough I'm going to join the Navy, too." "Thanks Bud, I'd like you to do me a favor while I'm gone. I want you to be my pen-pal, and keep me posted on what's happening here at home. Will you do that for me?"
"You bet! I promise to write you every week, and probably my buddies will add little notes too.
On December 8th - President Franklin Delano Roosevelt announced to the nation by radio that the United States had declared war on Japan. Several days following our declaration of war against Japan - Germany declared war on the United States.
These events were blows felt by the entire country. and it could quickly be seen that his small town of Gibbon was showing its own effects of these blows. Its young men were quickly heading to the recruitment centers in Kearney and Grand Island. The Five Friends Forever banded together to pledge a patriotic bond supporting the United States until World War II ends in victory.
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