Question...

On December 7th, 2009 I sent Dad the following email. He responded to my email and I thought I would post it on the blog for y'all to read.

My Question...

Hi Dad, I was just thinking about you today and I was also thinking about the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941 and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind emailing me what you remember of that day. I believe you were 11 years old then... where were you? what do you remember? did you know anyone at Pearl Harbor? were you scared? smells? who were you with when you heard the news? anything?

I remember you saying yesterday that you were thinking about how long you have lived and I am interested in your thoughts and memories of what you have experienced.

I love you VERY much Dad! You are the best! Thank you for all you do!

LOVE YOU,

Rachel

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Dad's response...

Hi Rachel, Might say I'm a little slow about answering this email from you, but remember, I wasn't born yesterday! Anyway, what I remember about that day is brief but here it is.

We were living at Grandmother Gallacher's home at the time. Address: 532 East 7th South in Salt Lake. We had evidently finished up with the flock of turkeys by that time because Dad was there. He often listened to the news on the radio and he told us that he had just heard that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. I don't remember just how much he said but I got the idea that they had sunk many of our ships there. It was very frightening to me because there was so much being said about the war in Europe and the bombing of England. We occasionally saw newsreels at the theaters so I had some basis for the visualizations of what must have been happening. Dad often told me about what he heard of the news on the radio. He relied primarily on the radio for news and entertainment because of his blindness.

Anyway, with that news I began to wonder where and when they will be coming to strike next. I was not sure how far away Hawaii was from Salt Lake City. As I walked outside I looked toward the west wondering if I would see Japanese planes coming toward the city. But there were none, thank heaven!!!

Thanks for the invitation to share memories with you Rachel! I love you!!! Dad