The Styrous® Viewfinder: Beemer Memory 18: Pearl Harbor Day

December 7, 2017

Beemer Memory 18: Pearl Harbor Day

U.S. Navy battleships at Pearl Harbor - 7 December 1941

left to right:

USS West Virginia (BB-48) (sunk)

USS Tennessee (BB-43) (damaged)

and the USS Arizona (BB-39) (sunk)

photo from Wikipedia

Today is December 7, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, also referred to as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day or Pearl Harbor Day. This day is observed annually in the United States on December 7, to remember and honor the 2,403 citizens of the United States who were killed in the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941.

For several years Phillip Hofstetter and his wife, Nina Horn (link below), were some of the organizers of Pearl Harbor Day, an annual event held on December 7th at 7 PM. The event commemorated the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory, on the morning of December 7, 1941 at 7 AM.

During the event artists of varying disciplines would stage "Sneak Attacks" which consisted of songs, poems, dance routines, recitations of Pearl Harbor events or anything that came into his or her head and wanted to act out. No one knew the "attack" was going to happen; everything was unscripted and ran from emotional to completely wacky. It was tons of fun.

Everyone dressed in the highest fashion of the period (1941); in addition, there were sailors, soldiers, nurses, air raid wardens, and, of course, there was always at least one "Rosie the Riveter".

with Lisa as "Rosie the Riveter"

date & photographer unknown

Often I would ride to the events on my Beemer (link below) in full formal 1940's dress which must really have made quite a sight for onlookers. The exception was one year when I wore a sailor's suit; I was part of an eight-person team that did a very dysfunctional dance routine to In the Navy by the Village People. I wonder if there's a photo of that floating around somewhere? Oy Vey!