Monday, December 7, 1998

Where were you?

In 1941 the island of Oahu, territory of Hawaii, housed most of the United States military. This included the Army at Schofield Barracks, the Marine base on the northwest side of the island, Wheeler and Hickam airfields and Pearl Harbor, where all the United States ships were kept.

A mountain range runs nearly across the island from the west to the east, with Kole Kale Pass being the entrance for planes onto the island.

Following night duty, at 7:45 a.m., a master sergeant and I were talking as we relaxed on the porch of the Headquarters Company of the 19th Infantry Division building.

Suddenly a plane with the Japanese insignia, the Rising Sun, swooped in low and close enough for us to see the pilot waving at us.

As we questioned what the Japanese would be doing at Pearl Harbor, the answer came within seconds when planes strafed everything in sight.

Nearby military and naval airfields were attacked, which resulted in eight American battleships and 10 other naval vessels being sunk or badly damaged.

A lot of lives were lost that day, as approximately 200 American aircraft were destroyed and approximately 3,000 military personnel were killed or wounded. Many of these were buried alive while defending the United States as their ships sunk in the harbor.

One mass funeral and grave contains the bodies of these heroic Americans as they were buried side by side. This was the saddest funeral I have ever attended.

Where were you on Dec. 7, 1941?

ELDRED LINK

Stamford

Take a close look

I hope taxpayers will take a close look at the five bond propositions. As TV news says, “It’s your money.”

Do we really need two new parks in the areas designated?

Doesn’t $3.8 million sound a bit stiff for a 26,500-square-foot senior center? What about alternatives?

Can’t we find better options than $2.6 million for a new fire station and expanding the emergency op center?

Shouldn’t we get some assurance that we’ll get quality paving with the $11.5 million? You’ve probably noticed a lot of resurfacing starts peeling off, sometimes within weeks. We need new paving in many places, but it should be done right.

Last, don’t you think the proposition to repair and update the Civic Center is a great idea? I do.

WILLIAM FAIRBETTER

Abilene

Surprised by Lewis

As an avid C.S. Lewis fan, I am thrilled with the recognition he is receiving for the 100th anniversary of his birth.

I have quoted him often to friends and family. Now they are being informed by the media that he really is as special as I have said he is.

Abilene Christian University recently hosted a great “birthday party” in his honor. For about two hours students, faculty and guests shared their favorite Lewis quotes.

The audience sat entranced with his wit and wisdom. They were obviously devoted fans already. English pastry and tea were served as a reminder of his English heritage.

I have several Lewis books in my home library. My favorite is The Quotable Lewis, in which some of his wisest comments are classified alphabetically according to topic.

That makes it a very accessible study guide. It is amazing how many subjects he dealt with in his writing.

For those not familiar with C.S. Lewis, this would be a good time to become acquainted with his inspiring works. They might be “surprised by joy” — which, incidentally is the title of one of his books.

EVELYN KIRK

Cisco