Attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan was one of the deadliest, devastating and shocking attacks in the history of mankind. The attack commenced and ended on December 7, 1941 which left 2,403 Americans dead and 1,178 wounded beside severely damaging American base.
The surprise attack came as a profound shock to the American people. The following day on December 8, 1941 America declared war on Japan. This was the start of World War II.
There was vengeance and hatred all over...
Like any other war, World War II had its bitter consequences and ended with millions of deaths and casualties.
The world had learnt its lesson..The Pearl Harbor survivors and attackers both learnt a lesson..and it was the lesson of forgiveness .
My favorite Pearl Harbor Survivor Stories came from Richard Fiske and Everett Hyland.
Fiske was a bugler on USS West Virginia, when Pearl Harbor was attacked. After being hospitalized for bleeding ulcers, Fiske knew he had to stop hating. He knew that he had to forgive.
Eventually, Fiske became close friends with a Japanese aviator who attacked Pearl Harbor. They met at an Arizona Memorial Association gathering in 1991 for the 50th anniversary of the attack.
The two agreed to place roses at the Memorial every month and Fiske would play taps on his bugle. Before playing he would tell visitors that he has no room in his heart for hatred despite the sinking of his ship and the loss of his friends.
In 2003 Fiske was invited to the annual gathering of Japans largest veteran’s group, Unabarakai. He played his bugle and received many gifts, including a new Japanese brass bugle. Richard Fiske passed away in 2004.
Everett Hyland was on the deck of USS Pennsylvania when the attack began. His ship was in dry dock, but like all of the other battleships it suffered. Hyland took forgiveness to an amazing level when he married a Japanese woman.
His wife, Miyoko, translated as Hyland met the pilot, Otawa, who dropped the bomb that put him in the hospital for 9 months. They met at a sympsium bringing Pearl Harbor Survivors and WWII vetrans together with Japanese zero pilots.
If Hyland and Fiske are capable of such forgiveness then nobody has an excuse to continue hating.
Forgiveness brings the best out of you and eventually makes the world a better place to live in...
To read more stories on Pearl Harbor Survivors stories on the attack, visit https://pearlharbor.org/pearl-harbor-survivor-stories-of-the-attack/
Matt Wilson is a Motivational Speaker, Author, Technology Enthusiast and a proud father