DEC. 7, 1941: Pearl Harbor memories -- and why they matter

Travis Snyder, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·3 min read

Dec. 7—PEARL HARBOR — Dec. 7, 1941, is a day never to be forgotten.

James Gallagher of Traverse City certainly hasn't forgotten it.

He was 7 living on a farm west of Traverse City on that fateful morning 82 years ago when Japan bombed the U.S. Navy base in Pearl Harbor.

He will never forget the distress his parents expressed when that tragedy took place.

Battleships were pierced by aerial bombs, and significant damage was caused to many vessels. The USS Arizona was hit by several bombs, one of which detonated an explosive-filled magazine that sank the ship and killed 1,177 officers and crewmen.

That shipwreck still lies at the bottom of Pearl Harbor, beneath the USS Arizona Memorial, which was dedicated to the many who died during the attack.

At the conclusion of the assault, which lasted roughly 75 minutes, it was determined that 2,403 American lives had been lost, and another 1,178 were wounded. It was after the strike on Pearl Harbor that the United States entered World War II, declaring war on Japan on Dec. 8.

In his address to the U.S. Congress, President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated: "Yesterday, December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan."

Upon the U.S. entry into the war, many were called to serve and fight. Gallagher's two uncles were among them. Gallagher's family operated cherry and dairy farms just west of Traverse City.

"In my mother's family there were 11 kids. She had an older brother that served in World War I, and then the youngest brother was called up for World War II. ...My Uncle Leo was a big shot with Michigan Bell Telephone company when they drafted him in the service as a captain."

As a child, Gallagher recalled how the community came together to gather scrap metal and to buy and sell war bonds, as was encouraged by the U.S. government.

World War II brought many hardships and changes — then the end of the war brought family back together.

For Gallagher, and his parents, they were just happy to have his uncles back home safely. It marked a return to a life of "cherries and dairy," as he recalled.

But, with those examples set for him during World War II, James — nicknamed "Diamond Jim" — went on to serve his country as well, in the U.S. Army from 1953 until the end of the Korean conflict. He embarked on three separate tours.

"I was on a 'cruise' from the West Coast to Japan, another from Japan to Korea, and then one last trip back to the United States," he said.

Before that, however, he fell in love and married Patsy Ann, "the prettiest girl in the area," he said. They had their wedding ceremony while he was on leave. "She ended up with a dumb farm boy," he said with a chuckle. "I saved her from a life of prosperity."

She died in 2019 after a battle with Alzheimer's disease.

In 1986, on the 45th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, President Ronald Reagan designated Dec. 7 as "National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day."

In his address to the American public, Reagan said, "Their sacrifice was for a cause, not for conquest; for a world that would be safe for future generations. Their devotion must never be forgotten."

Gallagher is among a remaining few who can share these memories of this day. Their purpose in doing so is to inspire others to remember this day — and never forget the great price that was paid for freedom.