Photo By Chief Petty Officer Jose Jaen | NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas (Dec. 7, 2022) Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base...... read more read more
NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas (Dec. 9, 2022) – Service Members young and old gathered at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base (JRB) Fort Worth base chapel Dec. 7 to remember the lives lost 81 years ago when Japanese aircraft attacked United States Naval Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
During the annual ceremony, led by the NAS JRB Fort Worth Junior Enlisted Association, the four World War II veterans in attendance were recognized for their service to our nation. In attendance were 102-year-old Staff Sergeant Bill McIntire, Yeoman 3rd Class Al Chatwin, Petty Officer 3rd Class Derrick South and Petty Officer 2nd Class Jack Stowe.
“Pearl Harbor was the site of an event that changed not only the United States but the world,” said Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Harold Miller, master of ceremonies. Giving a chronological sequence of events from the early hour the attacks began, Miller detailed the devastating losses U.S. forces suffered. “Most of the damage to the battleships occurred in the first 30 minutes of the assault,” said Miller. The next five hours were chaos for the service members stationed at Pearl Harbor. “Though they fought back as hard as they could, the shocking tragedy left 2,403 dead and over 1,000 wounded,” said Miller.
Religious Program Specialist 2nd Class Stephen Rossell was the guest speaker. “The sacrifices made by America’s Sailors, both past and present, can never truly be measured, but they certainly can be appreciated,” said Rossell.
“Relatively few Americans today have come face-to-face with the horrors of war. We must honor those who live with the reminders of what happened there, those who fought and survived the attack on Pearl Harbor—those who recall the last moments of peace and the faces of fallen friends,” said Rossell.
Recalling the remarkable story of a Pearl Harbor survivor who passed away earlier this year and attended the ceremony held in 2021, Staff Sergeant Dale Robinson was in Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941, stationed at Schofield Barracks with the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. SSgt Robinson saw Japanese Zero fighter planes fly right over his head. He, along with his fellow Soldiers, quickly scrambled to get weapons, which was a problem because ammunition was not immediately available to them. “They did the best they could in what was a frantic scene,” said Rossell. SSgt Robinson left Hawaii a year later, shipped off to the European theater, eventually taking part in the invasion at Normandy in June of 1944, and going ashore at Omaha Beach.
Inspiring stories like SSgt Robinson are what continue to attract like-minded people to join our military forces, said Rossell. “America’s Navy is our nation’s front line in war and peace, operating on, above and below sea. Ultimately, it is our people and our actions that will shape how the world views us. The bombing of Pearl Harbor was a pivotal moment in U.S. and world history. The attack thrust the U.S. into WWII and set in motion a series of events that would transform the country into a global superpower and guardian of international order,” said Rossell.
“The fighting spirit, ingenuity and boldness which defined our Navy at Pearl Harbor lives on in today’s Sailors. Their bravery and courage have not been forgotten and they remain an inspiration to our current and future generations of Sailors,” Rossell concluded.
The ceremony concluded with a benediction offered by Base Chaplain Gregory Hazlett.
| Date Taken: | 12.07.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 12.09.2022 16:38 |
| Story ID: | 434884 |
| Location: | FORT WORTH, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 118 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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