Most of us being ship builders are also some what of a Naval historians. Today is December 7th. Today most of us awoke to a decent day. We may have given some thoughts to events that happened in 1941 on a Sunday morning.

To the US Navy December 7th is a solemn day. The US Navy treats the events of that day with reverence. Navy ships while at sea will hold a short memorial complete with wreath laying. In 1941 the Pacific Fleet was attacked in the opening movement that was to become the Pacific Theater of Operations of World War II.

The sailors that day in 1941 were going about their regular schedule. Eating breakfast, cleaning, getting ready for morning colors, and just being sailors. A few hundred miles north of Hawaii another group of sailors were doing the same, going about their jobs. However this group was bent on creating havoc on the former group.

The Us and Japan had a strained relationship for a few years and in proceeding months the relationship became more tense. Japan was expanding its reach in the Pacific and in China. They were feeling the crunch of US sanctions and knew they had to be able to expand to meet their needs.

The action which was to take place on that Sunday morning 67 years ago were to change the lives of so many people. The actions which followed included some of the largest naval operations of all time. Forces of both nations prowled the waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The men on both sides of the coming battle were following orders. They were doing what they thought was the right thing to do at the time. Maybe they knew how their actions would affect others, maybe they did not.

The attack left the US Pacific Fleet shattered and a country stunned. In Japan most people were thrilled at the stunning success. On both sides of the new conflict leaders set in motion events that they hoped would lead their respective countries to victory.