Ashtabula remembers the attack on Pearl Harbor
Dec. 8—ASHTABULA — The Ashtabula County Marine Corps League held a ceremony Thursday, marking the 82nd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, which drew the United States into World War II.
About 20 spectators showed up for the ceremony on a windy, 43-degree day at Veterans Memorial Park.
Tim Dibble, past commandant of the Marine Corps League Detachment 782, welcomed everyone to the ceremony.
"We are here to remember those who fought, sacrificed and died for our country," he said. "The day the world was changed forever."
He then gave attendees a history of the 90-minute attack at 7:55 a.m. Dec. 7, 1941 of the U.S. Pacific fleet in Hawaii by the Japanese Imperial Navy.
"Ashtabula native, Private Henry Kalinowski, was the first Ashtabula County resident to die in World War II, killed as the U.S.S. Arizona sank during the bombing," he said.
The Ashtabula chapter of the Marine Corps League is named after Kalinowski.
The remembrance ceremony consisted of 40 minutes of church bells, prayers, two speeches, a moment of silence, and a rifle salute followed by Taps.
After the Pledge of Allegiance and posting of the colors by the American Legion color guard, David Burch, chaplain of the American Legion Post, said a prayer asking God to "turn his gaze to those in the military and bless them for their sacrifice and service."
Dibble introduced the keynote speaker, the Rev. Len Jury, a native of Hawaii, a Navy Corpsman, Vietnam veteran and member of the American Legion Post 103.
He gave the back story on what led Japan to attack the U.S. at Pearl Harbor.
By attacking Pearl Harbor, Japan believed that it could severely cripple the U.S fleet and buy them time in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Then they would be able to launch their attacks without interference from the U.S., he said.
The crowd participated in a moment of silence to remember Monte R. Foltz, 73, who died last month at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center.
Foltz, who organized several of Ashtabula's veterans ceremonies, served his country in the Army's 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War. He was a member of the Ashtabula VFW and American Legion Post 103.
In his closing remarks, Dibble said Americans should remember Pearl Harbor because the nation needs to stay strong and citizens must remain vigilant.
"America was not prepared for the attack," he said. "We must never forget."
The American Legion Honor Guard then provided a 21-gun salute.
Burch gave the benediction.
