Sunday, December 7, 2008

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant..."

From the address given by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt at the United States Capitol, Washington, D.C., on December 8, 1941:

"[On] December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific."

The next day my grandfather turned 19. My recollection is that shortly after he learned the news, he made the trip from "The Farm" in Hartford, VT to Rutland, VT to enlist.


I can't even begin to comprehend how he, and the millions like him, were able to do what they did afterwards.


2 comments:

  1. If I only had half of the courage that Grandpa had...

    ReplyDelete
  2. He gave up a scholarship to play football at Syracuse? That seems to be my recollection.

    ReplyDelete

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