The 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was remembered Tuesday, Dec. 7, in Farmington. James A. McKechnie VFW Post 10881 color guard members Glenn Durrell with American flag and Rodney Titcomb lead the group to the middle of Center Bridge. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
FARMINGTON — Veterans and family members gathered at the Park and Ride to process to the middle of Center Bridge to remember the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 80 years ago.
“I still remember the first one we did,” Gordon Webber, commander of James A. McKechnie VFW Post 10881 said prior to the observance. “It was about 15 years ago on a Sunday, cold as hell. Bob Burton walked out, threw the wreath.”
Having a bugle here is a treasure, Kitty Gee said. She is the widow of World War II veteran John Gee. He was 19 years old when he landed on Utah Beach in the first wave of Allied forces invading German-occupied France on June 6, 1944.
“It’s the finishing touch,” Webber said.
Leading the procession to Center Bridge were color guard members Glenn Durrell with the American flag and Rodney Titcomb with the VFW flag.
Gordon Webber watches as Kitty Gee prepares to drop a wreath in the Sandy River Tuesday, Dec. 7. The 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was being remembered. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
“This is a time to remember what happened, celebrate the lives of those lost and wounded,” Webber said.
The surprise attack occurred just before 8 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941. The eight battleships present were damaged and four sank. Seven other ships were sunk or damaged. A total of 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed; 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 others were wounded.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Dec. 7, 1941, “A date which will live in infamy” and declared war the following day.
Because of the predicted cold weather Tuesday, Webber chose not to give a speech but rather name local veterans who had served during World War II. Monroe Hawkins, John Knight, Maynard Phillips, Alden Mitchell, John Gee, so many of them known over the last 20 years, he noted.
Webber asked those attending to name others who were at Pearl Harbor or served in the war.
“My father, Richard Morton,” Richard “Dick” Morton called out.
“(Senator Robert) “Bob” Dole who just died,” veteran Douglas Hand noted.
“There’s a lot of them, all great guys,” Webber said.
Kitty Gee placed a wreath in the Sandy River, Webber said an prayer, taps was played by Paul Harnden of Jay, then the group processed back across the bridge.
VFW Post 10881 color guard members from left Glenn Durrell and Rodney Titcomb lead a procession back to the Park and Ride Tuesday, Dec. 7. It was part of the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day observance of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 80 years ago. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
“Thank you for doing this,” one lady said.
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