Pearl Harbor survivors gather

Published 1:00 pm Saturday, December 9, 2006

KEYPORT — The world has changed drastically since Dec. 7, 1941, but for the survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor, memories of that fateful day are as clear as yesterday.

A dozen former sailors, Marines and even an Army medic gathered with more than 200 onlookers at the Naval Undersea Museum Thursday to pay tribute to the sacrifices made as part of the Naval Underwater Warfare Center’s 13th annual Pearl Harbor Remembrance ceremonies.

“I just gotten down in my bunk when all that happened, and I thought it was the Army making all that noise,” recalled Pearl Harbor survivor Donald Green.

Stationed aboard the USS Pyro, an ammunition ship, Green said he had come off his watch at 4 a.m. Dec. 7, when he was suddenly thrust into action against the onslaught of Japanese planes.

“A plane flew over us, and we could see his eyeballs and his red scarf,” he said.

As the enemy plane opened its bomb doors, Green said he and his fellow sailors watched helplessly as the payload dropped onto the pier and exploded. The ship was unscathed.

“I guess the fellow upstairs was with us,” Green said.

The attack devastated the Ewa Marine Corps Air Base, where Rocky Hoffmann watched as all four squadrons at the base were destroyed.

“On Dec. 6 the group conducted an inspection and all the planes were tied down neatly in rows,” Hoffmann said.

When the sounds of the invasion reached the airfield, Hoffman said two master sergeants told him they didn’t know what was going on, but a buck sergeant mechanic made an interesting observation.

“He said I have never heard of an engine sounding like that,” Hoffman said.

The impact of those few hours is felt even today, even as the nation loses more and more of those who are called the “greatest generation,” said Capt. JD Dowell, commander of the NUWC Division-Keyport.

Dowell’s grandfather, Capt. Jonathan S. Dowell was the commander at Keyport from 1935-37 and was subsequently assigned to Lua Lua Lie, Hawaii.

“My father was awakened by grandfather and told to ‘Get moving. They’ve caught us with our pants down,’” Dowell said.

Instead of returning to Seattle to live with his parents, Dowell said his father, who turned 18 on the trip back to the States, went to San Diego and joined the Marine Corps and fought in the Pacific.

Because of the strength, courage, perseverance and determination stemming from that day, Americans everywhere are able to enjoy the freedoms they have today, Dowell said.

As the ceremonies ended, Poulsbo resident Muriel Williams, who lived four blocks from Pearl Harbor’s main gate, echoed the sentiments of many survivors.

“I was at the 50th and 60th in Hawaii, but this is probably my last one,” Williams said as she and the more than 200 other guests remembered that fateful December day 65 years ago.