The AMNE Expo News would like to join in today’s memorials to the brave military personnel who lost their lives, on “that day of infamy”.  Tony Castlegrant (USN RET), my father-in-law (now deceased) was one who was there and survived: 2340 did not. Although it happened many years ago, Tony still could vividly remember the terror, the bombers overhead, the noise, smoke and confusion. At the time of the bombing, Tony was serving aboard the USS Cummings (DD-365).

In April, 2000, my husband David and I visited the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii. I will never forget the emotion I felt looking into the deep waters and knowing that so many ships and so many people died. The crowd that day was a mixture of WWII veterans, many of them proudly wearing caps designating the ships they served on, and people from all over the world: men, women and children. Yet, all were silent as we walked aboard the memorial and listened to the story of that day.

We said a prayer for Tony and for all of his comrades and for all those who proudly serve our country. We gently dropped a beautiful floral lei into the swirling waters in remembrance of them all.