Thirteen/WNET New York WLIW 21
New York War Stories : Your Memories. Your Words.

Untitled

Submitted by: Katherine Thomas

As both my parents were at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked they had first hand knowledge of what happened to them there.

I enclose a written statement of my mother's account (for an 11-yr. old). My father at the time was a pilot. He was also Officer of the Day when the first Jap prisoner of war was taken. He had a slightly different version than Oliver Stone's account.

Hope this enclosure will be helpful.

Remembering Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941

How I happened to be living in Honolulu at that time was really due to my mother although she didn't know it at the time she was planning a trip with my older sister to the Far East. I do not remember exactly her itinerary but remember her telling me to work hard and save my money and to meet her in Honolulu when she was returning. We had a cousin stationed there at Hickam Air Base and we could visit him and his wife. So she left on her trip and sometime later my father drove from Mobile, AL. to Palo Alto, CA. to visit his mother. While there I inquired about boat transportation to Hawaii. The Matson Line was the only regularly scheduled liner service to the Islands and the next sailing was full, but they took my name in case of a cancellation. On the day of sailing I received a call telling me that there was space available and to get to San Francisco by 5PM - the sailing time. And so off I went and after 4