This Day in History—December 7

This Day in History—December 7, 2007

For older Americans December 7, 1941 is a day "that will life in infamy." Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands was attacked early on a Sunday morning resulting in the sinking of much of the U. S. Navy as well as the destruction of most of the aircraft on the ground. The event plunged America into World War II. Congress declared war on both Japan and Germany at the same time. I was not old enough to remember this when it happened, but in the congregation where I minister there are people who remember well the event. Some of them would fight in World War II and some would lose loved ones there as well.

It is hard to believe that the last time we had a man on the moon was in 1972, 35 years ago. That person was Eugene Cernan, who commanded the last Apollo flight. Along with that, it is interesting to look at the aircraft we use and discover that much of it came into existence before that time as well.

It is also noteworthy that the Unites States officially entered World War I on this date in 1917. In just a year, the armies of America would provide the necessary assistance to drive the Germans back to Germany. It is always offensive to me that the French forget so easily who rescued them in two world wars or otherwise they would still be part of the German empire. The French are a very ungrateful people as far as I am concerned. Perhaps the next time we should just let them wallow in the control of their enemies.