Re: talked with a Pearl Harbor survivor today/Mighty MO

[Guest guest]

Just a little thought , if youare wanting to frame the postcard witht

he signature (depending on if it is signed on front or back) if

signed on the back, purchase a second copy of the postcard and mount

this along with the signed one to show and remind you of the image

there as well as this AMAZING person.

There was something on TV here in Australia about Pearl Hrbor last

week and it showed the memorials etc and it was TRULY awe inspiring

and Sad at the same time.

I am glad that you got the chance to see it in person and Hey what a

nice place to be " stranded " Hawaii, Wow I wish (I have never been

outt of Australia YET!!!!)

Sharon

> I just had to share the truly moving and emotional experience I was

privileged to have today. We are still " stuck " in Honolulu, but will

hopefully get a standby flight out to DFW tomorrow. We took the kids

to see Pearl Harbor today. First, we got there VERY early in order

to obtain free (but limited) tickets to visit the USS Arizona

Memorial and " battleship row " , where thousands of our veterans are

entombed...having died during or shortly after the attack upon Pearl

Harbor. As we were waiting for our group # to be called, an elderly

gentleman sat down beside me on a bench. He was a volunteer Pearl

Harbor survivor (proudly wearing his military cap..I apologize for

not knowing the correct term for it), and was graciously signing

autographs on various souvenirs visitors approached him with. He was

kind enough to allow Lennie to take my picture with him, and then

autographed a postcard of the USS Arizona Memorial I'd purchased. I

intend to frame it when I get back home to TX. This elderly veteran

volunteers his time faithfully as often as he can to do this, as do

several others. I was so moved by his quiet, kind, serious and

patient demeanor. I thanked him for what he and so many others in

our military (both past and present) have done for us all. He smiled

and said, " Thank you for coming here to honor us. We must always

remember that freedom is not free, lest we forget the ultimate price

many have paid. " I was greatly humbled, and could not help the tears

which welled up in my eyes. As many may already know, veterans who

survived the fiery bombing/sinking of the USS Arizona have the option

of being buried/interred " at sea " at the site of the USS Arizona upon

their deaths, and there is a separate marble memorial for those

heroic individuals. Many Hawaiian leis are always placed there in

memorial.

> After visiting the USS Arizona Memorial, we then went over to the

USS Missouri ( " The Mighty MO " ), upon which deck the Japanese

unconditionally surrendered to the Allied Forces. The Mighty MO was

used as a fully functional battleship as recently as Desert Storm.

We took an extended " Explorers Tour " , which the kids really got a lot

out of (so did we). It is impossible to leave there without a whole

new healthy respect for the tremendous fighting and firepower of our

military, as well as the men and women who lay their lives on the

line for us willingly. What's extra neat about the way Pearl Harbor

is set up for tourists to see is that you can visit both the

place/event (USS Arizona Memorial) which took the USA into WWII, as

well as the USS Missouri where the USA ended the war in the Pacific

(the USS Missouri was actually in Tokyo Bay when the surrender was

signed by the Japanese).

> Love,

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> ~LoneStarRose~

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