December 7, 1941



Believed to be the first bomb dropped during the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harobor - nicked from WIKI

We all know the significance of that historical date. We learned about it in school and we've seen it in movies like Pearl Harbor (2001), From Here to Eternity(1953), Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) and the to-die-for mini-series from 1983, Winds of War. Aside from a passing acknowledgement of the day, I'm not sure that I ever paid that much attention to it. It's not a federal holiday, the banks are open and other than a flurry of newsy posting on my home page or a solemn story of a veteran's survival, I hadn't thought about how this single, catastrophic event impacted my family history and therefore, me.
 
President Franklin D. Roosevelt called it "a day that will live in infamy."  I realized today that this event and this day was the day that changed the course of Charles' life.  Granny Bob told me how important it was to him to volunteer - that he couldn't wait to enlist.  She said he wanted to be a pilot and an officer more than anything in the world.  Two months after Pearl Harbor, Charles drove to Dallas and enlisted with the US Army Air Force. 

I've read remembrances and articles today with a stoic appreciation for all that these men sacrificed. This whole year, and the surprising discoveries and experiences I've had because of Charles, have awakened a patriotism that I didn't realize was asleep. Today was another flag-waving day in the evolution of me.