Pearl Harbor December 7 1941

Today I remember ... for my dad who returned and for those who did not. December 7 9141. Giuseppe (Joseph) Piccirilli...he was stationed on Oahu and just returned from guard duty and headed to the chow hall when the attack began. The men dove into the bushes until they could try to get their guns. The pilots were so low that he recalled looking at their faces as they dropped bombs. He never forgot and nor shall I, for him. He was just 22 and spent almost 5 1/2 years in Hawaii. He met and married my mom Eva after his return to the states and they married in 1946. He was a very patriotic man and I suppose that is why I am. Once while I was still single and living at home we watched From Here to Eternity together..... he was always careful to hide his emotions, but I thought I caught a tear in his eyes the night. He was very involved in the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, serving as the President at one time. In this picture you can see a copy of the newspaper and a copy of the Instrument of Surrender as well as the Christmas dinner they had that year. The newspaper article with my dad is an interview he gave the local paper one year.

 This is a picture taken with his older brother John who was in the Navy and in the surrounding waters at the time of the attack. He also survived. It is old and scratched but it is the only one I have of them together in uniform. There are those who do not know anything about that terrible day, but for our family it was a big deal. My grandma did not have the news access we have today when tragedy strikes. She waited almost 2 weeks to hear if her sons were alive. I am proud of the military service my father gave for our country. Just wanted to share........