Imagine on your drive to work seeing the sky filled with unknown black objects. They initially look like a swarm of bees, but as they get closer it’s obvious they are hundreds of dive bombers and fighter planes. Both sides of the road are lit up with fires from bombs, bullets and shrapnel. At a moment’s notice, you’re left wondering whether to keep on driving, stop the car and jump into a ditch or retreat and return home.
This scenario actually happened on Dec. 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Over the years, I’ve been privileged to meet several men who survived this horrific event. John Vannoy, who formerly lived in Cole Camp, wrote, “I could see the planes repeatedly hitting the USS Arizona and other battleships with bombs. The Japanese focused their efforts on the Arizona, one plane after another. I also saw them attack the dry docks and sub base repeatedly. We remained at anchor for the first 30 minutes of the attack.” John was one of Missouri’s last Pearl Harbor survivors. He died on Sept. 2 at the age of 90.
kAmw2C@=5 ~’r@??@C =:G65 :? $652=:2 7@C 2 D9@CE E:>6 3FE 92D D:?46 C6EFC?65 E@ w2H2::] “(6 H6?E 7C@>[ J@F >:89E D2J[ A2C25:D6 E@ 96== :? @?6 >@C?:?8] ~7 4@FCD6[ E96 >@C?:?8 @7 s64] f[ E96C6 H6C6 3@>3D 5C@AA:?8 6G6CJH96C6[ E@CA65@6D 6IA=@5:?8[” 96 D2:5] “xE H2D 2 52J H6 925 =6E @FC 5676?D6D 5@H? — E96 pC>J 2?5 E96 }2GJ — 2?5 H6 H6C6 ?@E AC6A2C65 7@C E96 2EE24<]”k^Am
kAm%96 !62C= w2C3@C G6E6C2? x 92G6 8@EE6? E@ <?@H E96 36DE :D (:==:2> #:492C5D[ H9@ C6D:56D 2E u@FC $62D@?D {:G:?8 r6?E6C] w6 H2D @? E96 &$$ !6??DJ=G2?:2 H96? E96 2EE24< E@@< A=246] “*@F 5:5?’E 92G6 E:>6 E@ E9:?<] pD D@@? 2D E96J D@F?565 E96 3F8=6C @? E96 3:8 DA62<6C[ E92E’D H96? H6 <?6H H6 H6C6 :? EC@F3=6[” #:492C5D D2:5] “x C2? @? E96 E@AD:56 E@ >J DE2E:@?[ H9:49 H2D E@ 86E C625J E@ 7:C6]”k^Am
kAm%9@F89 (:==:2> DECF88=6D H:E9 9:D D9@CE\E6C> >6>@CJ[ 96 C6>6>36CD !62C= w2C3@C =:<65 :E 92AA6?65 J6DE6C52J] x H2D AC:G:=6865 E@ H:E?6DD 2 G6CJ E@F49:?8 >@>6?E H:E9 9:> 27E6C '6E6C2?D s2J]k^Am
kAmrC@DDC@25D w@DA:46 42>6 @FE E@ E96 ?FCD:?8 9@>6 E@ C64@8?:K6 2?5 E92?< E96 G6E6C2?D 7@C E96:C D6CG:46] (96? (:==:2>’D ?2>6 H2D C625[ 9:D H:76 ?F5865 9:> E@ C2:D6 9:D 92?5] x?DE625 96 5:5 E96 >@DE F?6IA64E65 E9:?8] pD %@?J v2==2896C[ E96 4@>>2?56C @7 E96 c_ U2>Aj g[ H2=<65 FA E@ 9:> H:E9 9:D 46CE:7:42E6[ (:==:2> DE@@5 FA 7C@> 9:D H966=492:C 2?5 D2=FE65 9:>] w6 7@==@H65 E9:D H:E9 2? 6>3C246[ 2D E62CD DEC62>65 5@H? 9:D 4966<D] %9@F89 96 4@F=5?’E 7:?5 E96 H@C5D E@ 6IAC6DD H92E 96 H2D 766=:?8[ 9:D 7246 D2:5 :E 2==i “%92?< J@F 7@C C6>6>36C:?8 >6]”k^Am
kAm(96? x :?E6CG:6H65 9:>[ 96 E@=5 >6 ?@3@5J H@F=5 >:DD 9:> H96? 96 H2D 8@?6] x E@=5 9:> E92E 96 H2D HC@?8[ 3642FD6 x H@F=5] w@H 4@F=5 x ?@En w6 @A6?65 FA E@ >6 23@FE @?6 @7 E96 >@DE 5:77:4F=E 6IA6C:6?46D :? 9:D =:76] (:==:2> D2:5 H96? @?6 3@>3 =2?565 @? E96 !6??DJ=G2?:2][ D6G6C2= >6? H6C6 <:==65 2?5 2 E9C66\:?49 2C>@CJ H2D 3=@H? FA 4=@D6 E@ H96C6 96 H2D] %96 y2A2?6D6 A=2?6D 42>6 D@ 4=@D6 E@ E96 D9:A[ 96 4@F=5 D66 E96 >249:?6 8F? @A6C2E@C :? E96 C62C @7 E96 2:C4C27E] x =:E6C2==J 4@F=5?’E :>28:?6 H92E E9:D >FDE 92G6 366? =:<6 7@C 9:>]k^Am
kAm{2DE J62C >2C<65 E96 f_E9 2??:G6CD2CJ @7 E96 3@>3:?8] (:E9 E92E >:=6DE@?6[ E96 !62C= w2C3@C $FCG:G@CD pDD@4:2E:@? G@E65 E@ 5:D32?5 @? s64] b`[ a_``] %9@F89 E9:D 8C@FA >2J ?@E 36 >66E:?8 2?J>@C6 5F6 E@ 5H:?5=:?8 ?F>36CD 2?5 962=E9 :DDF6D[ E96J 56D6CG6 E@ 36 C6>6>36C65 2?5 E92?<65]k^Am
