EDITORIAL: Dec. 7 a date unlike any other

Today, Dec. 7, may seem like any other day, with the holidays upon us, decorated homes and Christmas in the air. People are headed to church, to lunch, and then to the mall or downtown or will stay home and watch football.

But it is not any other day.

Today is the 84th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, when Japanese planes soared down on American forces on Oahu in Hawaii. The surprise attack took the lives of 2,403 U.S. personnel, wounded 1,178 others, damaged or destroyed 16 ships and more than 300 airplanes. It led President Franklin D. Roosevelt to declare it "a date which will live in infamy," and to declare war on Japan and enter World War II.

Roosevelt's resolve gave the country courage and fortified its will during what had to be a frightening time.

“No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory," Roosevelt said in a national address. "I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again."

While the attack was a success, it missed the aircraft carriers, which were away from the base and were later instrumental in the U.S. victory at Midway and in pushing Japanese forces back to their homeland.

North Idaho had its share of men who served at Pearl Harbor. Ray Garland, Fred Hamelrath, Nick Gaynos and Charlie Imus were there on Dec. 7, 1941. All at one point shared their stories with The Press. All have passed away.

Here are comments from each of those men as told to The Press in previous interviews:

"You don't forget it. I had the good fortune of not having my ship sunk (the USS Tangier) under me, but I still remember all the casualties and damage. It was hard to accept and hard to believe at the time."- Fred Hamelrath. 

"If people see me with my Navy ball cap that has 1941 on it, they ask me about it and thank me for my service. That pleases me." - Charlie Imus.

"I felt that I faced my maker for the first time in my life that day. And He stood by me because it was hell on earth." - Nick Gaynos.

"I looked back over my shoulder, and I saw these planes coming in and this corporal says, 'Hey, turn around Garland,' so I turned around, and the next thing I knew, from about here to across the street, here comes a Japanese dive bomber. I could see the goggles of one of the (Japanese) pilots. They bombed all the airfields first." - Ray Garland.

These men, and thousands of others, showed incredible courage that day and in the years that followed until the war was won. 

It's easy to let Dec. 7 pass without thinking about what happened on this day 84 years ago at Pearl Harbor. It's easy to go about our lives without pausing to give thanks for those who were there, those who fought in World War II, those who kept America the land of the free. It's easy to take it all for granted.

Don't.

On this day, remember.