We Cannot Afford To Disrespect



Lost in the midst of all the political pontificate is a horrendous oversight that needs to be realized by all Americans, especially those with ties to Oklahoma.

The U.S.S. Oklahoma on December 7, 1941

At Pearl Harbor, on Ford Island, there is a beautiful memorial to the battleship U.S.S. Oklahoma on which 429 men perished on December 7, 1941.  The loss of life is second only to those who died on the U.S.S. Arizona.

The memorial is next to the U.S.S. Missouri, which is moored were the Oklahoma was on that fateful day.  Unless the situation has changed over the last four months, the only mention of the Oklahoma memorial is a 30–second notice on the shuttle bus as it leaves the Missouri.  There is a granite stone for each of the 429 men with their names inscribed.  Meaningful legends are tastefully placed there.  On this spot the men who escaped before the ship capsized gathered.  Some expired before making this hallowed ground.

The U.S.S. Oklahoma Memorial

With very little effort this memorial could be better utilized.  It is under the U.S. Interior Department, National Park Service.  Senator Tom Coburn and Congressman Frank Lucas have been contacted, but up to this time there has been no response.  This is not just a thing for Oklahomans to deal with.  It is an American thing, as these 429 could have possibly have called every state in the Union home.  We owe a debt to these who gave “the last full measure of their devotion” in the service to their country.  Please contact your representative in Congress regarding this, as every monument out there deserves equal attention.



 ED. NOTE:  Within hours after this posting, we have heard from Sen. Coburn's office, stating they are looking into the situation.  We appreciate their timely response and cooperation, and thank you to those who contacted them.







A Broken Promise



Ensign John Charles England

As we've started off the holidays with Thanksgiving, December is rapidly creeping up on us.  Thoughts of Christmas enter our heads, and we wonder what to get Aunt Martha, or Cousin Harold.  We sorta wonder what our brothers and sisters are getting us, as we really don't need any more socks.

In between on December 7, we remember about halfway through the day - if we remember it at all - "Oh.  This is Pearl Harbor Day."

Well, on this upcoming December 7, remember Ensign John Charles England.  He was on board the U.S.S. Oklahoma when the attack started and had made it to topside. Remembering his friends in the radio room, he went back to save them.  Ens. England made three trips, each time guiding a man to safety.  The fourth time he went down, they had to close the hatch in order to prevent flooding.  Those on the other side of the doors heard him saying, "Don't worry.  I'll get us out of here."  Sadly, it was not to be, and Ens. England lost his life attempting to save his friends.  He was four days shy of his twenty-first birthday and had never seen his infant daughter.

His father Sam became a broken man upon hearing of his son's passing.  The Navy would honor the ensign by naming a destroyer after him.  Those on USS England DE-635 not only knew of the heritage of their name, but were proud of it, serving it well.  In two weeks' time, they sank six enemy submarines, a record that is still unsurpassed.  Admiral Halsey said, "May there always be an England.  Well done and congratulations to all hands."  Admiral King, Chief of all Naval Operations, promised, "There'll always be an England in the United State Navy." When it was decommissioned, it was replaced by the USS England DLG -22/CG-22, which was decommissioned in 1994.

Unfortunately, the Navy forgot Admiral King's promise and no England came along to replace it.  But there is a drive by those who served on those ships to have another England on the seas, serving our nation once again.  A promise was made in the name of our nation, and it should be kept.  John Charles England is honored every year by his high school, he has web sites, but let his country continue to remember him. 

So pass this along.  Print it up and send it to those in Congress, with your contact information.

Let's get another U.S.S. England in the Navy.  A promise is a promise, no matter how long ago it was.

http://www.ussengland.org/

http://cg22.ussengland.org/Operation_King/operation_king.htm