The Presidents Message
“Another Pearl Harbor” and this time on American Soil! On September 11, 2001 the Eastern part of our Country was attacked by Terrorists almost 60 years after the Attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. We knew then who our enemy was. This is not the situation today. This time our Government has strong suspicions as to who these cowardly terrorists are. We are confident our leaders, with the help of us all, will find these perpetrators of violence and punish them.
Seeing this terrible destruction displayed on TV rekindled my emotions with feelings of fear, hate, and many feelings I cannot explain.
Has our Country become too complacent again? How could this happen to our Country with all the technology available today? What happened to the Pearl Harbor Survivors motto, REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR-KEEP AMERICA ALERT? Those who ignore the lessons of history are doomed to make the same mistakes again. We have done everything in our limited power to keep the message alive and warn current generations not to let their collective guards down.
Now we’re involved in a different kind of war. A war that preys on innocent men, women, and children who are simply enjoying the freedoms provided by those who have given their lives in the past.
We Pearl Harbor Survivors have a tremendous love for our Country. We have faith that our leaders and the American people will respond to eradicate this vicious enemy who sneaks into our communities protected by the very laws and freedom he seeks to destroy.
Once again, we wish to renew our motto: REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR-KEEP AMERICA ALERT! And never drop our guard again.
We extend our sincere and deepest condolences to all of the families who lost so many of their loved ones.
Ed Chappell, National PHSA President
Reprinted with permission from the PEARL HARBOR - GRAM
November 2001
