Thanking Colorado Pearl Harbor Survivors

Poignant moments at the 70th Anniversary observance of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was held Monday morning at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs. Eight Colorado survivors were invited to be honored. Two of the eight showed up. I was told that some of the group who didn’t attend went to the observance at Pearl Harbor.

Survivor Jim Downing was six miles away from the attack, off ship. He told me that his feelings ran the gamut after the surprise attack by the Japanese. He said he felt surprise, fear, resentment and anger. More than 24 hundred were killed following the December 7th attack at Pearl Harbor. More than 12 hundred were wounded.

Downing who is 98 years old says there is one thing we can learn from that horrific chapter in American history. He told me, “Weakness invites aggression and the only hope we have is to be secure and strong. No matter what it costs, we have to keep America strong.”

Major General Robert Walsh, USMC was guest speaker. He told me, his father was a Marine during world war two. Major General Walsh believes we as Americans owe it to Downing’s generation and to the nation, to do our part as that generation did their part.

Major General Walsh also says the next generation will be the greatest generation. He said, “I serve with them everyday and they are phenomenal. They think on their own, they are innovative and they are creative.”