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Lionel Mandrake

(4,214 posts)

34. I was two years old in 1941, and I don't remember hearing the news.

Sun Dec 7, 2014, 05:56 PM

Dec 2014

My parents heard it when a neighbor came over and told them that the "Japs" (sorry, but that's how people talked back then) had just bombed Pearl Harbor. Another neighbor was in the Navy. He left home soon after the attack and didn't return for many years. I remember lots of women in the neighborhood had to take care of their kids by themselves, since Daddy was far away and wouldn't be back any time soon.

For background on the attack and its aftermath, I recommend the movie "Tora, Tora, Tora" (1970) and the TV series "Victory at Sea" (1952–1953) and "The World at War" (1973–1974 ).

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Do you remember what you were doing when you heard the news about Pearl Harbor? [View all] raccoon Dec 2014 OP

Sort of...I remember watching Walter Cronkite's "The Big Picture" HereSince1628 Dec 2014 #1

I remember it as "The Twentieth Century" longship Dec 2014 #29

They would probably be in their late seventies, early eighties to have a recollection of the event. DemocratSinceBirth Dec 2014 #2

Right. I thought there might be a few here. nt raccoon Dec 2014 #21

My grandpa got married one day before pearl harbor Travis_0004 Dec 2014 #3

You know, edhopper Dec 2014 #4

Yes. I was in fifth grade and the teacher told us all about it. Renew Deal Dec 2014 #5

No. At 10 mos. I was probably asleep. Downwinder Dec 2014 #6

My Dad told me this. rickford66 Dec 2014 #7

My dad was there. knitter4democracy Dec 2014 #8

My grand parents who were living in Hawaii at the time yuiyoshida Dec 2014 #9

Please! It's "internment" not "interment" (unless they were being literally buried in a camp.) PSPS Dec 2014 #18

okay thanks...I will correct it.. yuiyoshida Dec 2014 #19

My Army Air Force grandfather would sometimes uncharacteristically speak of "Japs." hunter Dec 2014 #35

I have heard younger people on line yuiyoshida Dec 2014 #36

My father-in-law witnessed Atomic Bombs up close in the Nevada desert. hunter Dec 2014 #42

I was -17, somewhere in the cosmos :) steve2470 Dec 2014 #10

My Mama was teaching in a small town in SC. Are_grits_groceries Dec 2014 #11

-26 years old ballabosh Dec 2014 #12

I had breakfast with my 94 year old mother today... SiobhanClancy Dec 2014 #13

Hmmm - guess not. I was an egg in my mama's ovary. Vinca Dec 2014 #14

My father had been transported with his family to concentration camp in Riga a few months before... stevenleser Dec 2014 #15

wow. kwassa Dec 2014 #38

I was 3 months old and my parents had taken me to a movie with them. I do not of course remember jwirr Dec 2014 #16

This is the mind of pipi_k Dec 2014 #17

I wasn't thought of yet but my Dad was in his first year of college csziggy Dec 2014 #20

My father... malokvale77 Dec 2014 #22

I was almost 3 years old at the time. RebelOne Dec 2014 #23

Was 18mo old but I'm sure I had an opinion. CK_John Dec 2014 #24

I was a year and a half old and my parents took me with them to their favorite watering hole, truly. monmouth4 Dec 2014 #25

Not surprising, few DUers would have remembered actually hearing the news of this day... MrMickeysMom Dec 2014 #26

+100. nt peace13 Dec 2014 #28

Just an egg in my mother's ovary. peace13 Dec 2014 #27

My dad and his brother enlisted Freddie Dec 2014 #30

Mom says -- madamesilverspurs Dec 2014 #31

Nope, my parents weren't even born yet.... giftedgirl77 Dec 2014 #32

I was sitting at my desk at school. 1967. Kaleva Dec 2014 #33

pretty funny treestar Dec 2014 #40

I was two years old in 1941, and I don't remember hearing the news. Lionel Mandrake Dec 2014 #34

I wasn't born until 1945. Lugnut Dec 2014 #37

This was my previous life, but I have no memory of it. kwassa Dec 2014 #39

my Dad says he thought about deserting when he heard about the attack Enrique Dec 2014 #41