Jon Hancock, corporal in the U.S. Army, was awakened by the sound of thunder.
“One of the fellows ran through the barracks yelling, ‘We’re under attack!’ About then, we heard machinegun fire,” Hancock said.
The thunder Hancock heard was the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. He remembers every detail: the planes flying very low and strafing their camp, the smoke, fire and explosions rising from the planes on Ford Island and the ships in the harbor.
Hancock is not the only one who retains memories of that day. There are currently 164 Pearl Harbor survivors in San Diego.
John Finn, the first World War II Medal of Honor recipient at Pearl Harbor, wants to take all survivors in San Diego back to the battle site in Hawaii on a “farewell journey” in honor of Pearl Harbor’s 65th anniversary. With Pearl Harbor 65, the nonprofit organization in charge of the event, Finn is well on his way.
“We’re off to a very good start,” said Dan DeMarco, director of Pearl Harbor 65. “This event is coming at a really good time with the anniversary of September 11th. People are going to look around and see what they can relate to, like Pearl Harbor survivors, and there’s a bunch here in San Diego.”
The organization is working to raise funds to send survivors of the attack to this year’s memorial ceremonies at Pearl Harbor, which are scheduled for Dec. 3 through 8.
“Right now, funding has come from our Web site, telephone calls, faxes, e-mails, mailings,” DeMarco said. “There’s going to be a telethon in October.”
As Pearl Harbor’s 65th anniversary approaches, the survivors are getting older. Some will not be able to travel to the event.
“They’re in their mid-80s to mid-90s, so it’s been a common decision to treat them right. They’ll keep going ’til they fall on their face!” DeMarco said. “We’re losing close to one survivor per week. And the situation can’t get any better ” it can only get worse.
“It’s such an obscure way to give back to our country, but it’s a great way of saying thanks”¦[for] our nation’s time of need.
“I have a lot to be thankful to all veterans. I feel someone connected to the past by my activities enabling these guys a greater opportunity to catch-up with each other and say farewell.”
For more information, contact Pearl Harbor 65, (619) 294-4411, or visit www.rememberingpearlharbor.org.