MC vets mark Pearl Harbor Day

About 60 people paid special tribute to the veterans of World War II during the 2008 Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day program at the Madison American Legion Post 157 meeting hall this month.

The Dec. 7 event was a time of reflection and a time of remembrance on one of the darkest days in the annals of American history. Attendees honored those who fought and died at Pearl Harbor.

Bill Trimmer, a 90-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor, talked for close to a half hour about his personal experiences 67 years ago.

At the time, he was a young engineer aboard the U.S.S. Pennsylvania. The battleship had developed a squeak in one of the propeller shafts during a deployment and was in dry dock when the attack happened.

Trimmer, who was five decks below topside on the ship when the attack began, remembers hearing the alarm that Pearl Harbor was under attack and for the crew to report to battle stations.

During the attack, he did go topside and witnessed the carnage. Trimmer, who had friends on the battleships Arizona and Nevada, recalled that he was supposed to play tennis with crewmembers on the Arizona that very afternoon.

The Pennsylvania was hit by one 500-pound bomb, but did not get torpedoed. However, the two cruisers that were tied up where the Pennsylvania would have been docked took five torpedoes and sunk.

The two destroyers in the dry dock with the Pennsylvania were totally destroyed. Trimmer said he never fired a shot during the attack and believes he would have been killed if his ship had been on battleship row that day. Those attending found his remarks moving.

Other World War II veterans in attendance at the Remembrance Day program were Jane Walrond (Army Nurse Corps), Mannie Norford (Marine Corps), James Judd (Army), Oliver Utz (Army) and Joe Hilliard (Army Air Corps).

“Our World War II veterans hold a cherished place in our history because their selflessness and patriotism is the epitome of what it means to be American,” according to a American Legion representative.

Madison County High School student Gabrieta Hernadez prepared a five-minute visual essay on the attack on Pearl Harbor that was shown before Trimmer spoke. The film provided the audience with pictures of the destruction that occurred that day at Pearl Harbor, the battleship Pennsylvania, and the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial.

The Remembrance Day event closed with a moment of silence and the playing of “Taps.”

The Madison American Legion Post 157 will host its next public program on Feb. 1, 2009, when it will honor the selfless acts of the four chaplains who died on the Army Transport Ship Dorchester during World War II. Watch The Eagle for information about this program.

For information about the Madison American Legion Post 157 and its programs, contact Commander Gerry Stephenson by calling (540) 948-5019 or Vice Commander Lisa Davis by calling (540) 661-0454 or send an e-mail to Adjutant Sherry Brockman at adjutant@vaalpost157.org.