header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
July 10
1981 - Gov. Jerry Brown authorizes use of malathion to eradicate medflies; aerial spraying begins [story]
helicopter spraying malathion


It was a quiet and beautiful Sunday morning at Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor — home of America’s Pacific Fleet.  Many of the 60,000 Sailors and other military personnel stationed there were still in their bunks resting after a Saturday night on the town. Some were eating breakfast; a few were on duty, others just straggling in. What appeared to be another day in paradise would quickly turn into a nightmare.

At five minutes before 8 a.m. on Dec. 7, 1941, 183 Japanese aircraft raced across the mountains north of Pearl Harbor with a mission to destroy the U.S. Fleet. Bombs were dropped on fuel and ammunition dumps, buildings, and ships. Japanese pilots strafed the same with wing-mounted machine guns while others dropped torpedoes.

The attack was a surprise. Some Sailors went down with their ships. Some were trapped only to drown inside as water replaced the air in the sinking ship.

Some had to choose between staying aboard a doomed ship, or take a chance by diving into a harbor aflame with burning oil, littered with the dead bodies of their fellow service members.  It was truly a living hell.

But in American fashion, these brave men and women pulled together. Ammunition and weapons lockers were cracked open in order to fight back. Army pilots dodged bombs and machine gun fire to make it to their planes in attempt to take to the air and drive off the attackers. Some rendered aid to the injured and dying. Others put their comrades before themselves and risked their own lives to save a stranger.

Fifty minutes later, a second wave of 170 Japanese planes intensified the attack arriving almost simultaneously from three different directions. More than 1,100 Sailors were killed when the U.S.S. Arizona’s forward magazine exploded from a direct bomb strike.  In all, the assault claimed 2,403 American lives and left more than a thousand others wounded.

Ninety minutes after it all began, the last Japanese plane headed away from Pearl Harbor and back to its carrier.  America’s entry into World War II was solidified.

Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor, would write in his diary, “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”

Whether or not the Admiral actually wrote those words is debatable, however, there is no doubt the attack did awaken a sleeping giant. Sixteen million fighting Americans would go on to drive the Japanese and Germans into surrender—fighting in every corner of the globe to deliver a world free from tyranny.

Today, fewer than 3,000 Pearl Harbor survivors remain as our last living links with history and the beginning of America’s greatest generation. Most of these brave Americans are now in their late 80s and 90s. Today, we salute their valor and sacrifice, and we honor their fighting spirit—a spirit that has motivated millions of Americans to follow their lead and live by their example.

For most of us born several generations later, it’s hard to relate to the devastation, the loss of life and the implications of those events that happened 70 years ago; and thousands of miles away.

I believe the horrific attack on Pearl Harbor was to the greatest generation what 9/11 is to most of us. Most of us weren’t directly affected by the terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C., but we felt the horror, the overwhelming emotions and the desire to unite and take the fight to enemy.

Those experiences and emotions must have been similar to what the greatest generation felt and it spurred them on to set a high standard for both future American service members and for how the world would view the United States and its military might.

Those of us who have worn the uniform, and those who will wear it tomorrow, are the legacy of the survivors of Pearl Harbor as well as the millions of brave Veterans who followed in their footsteps. They put country before self and are willing to risk all to save all—the American way of life. We owe all that we are today, to those who came before us.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Wednesday, Jul 9, 2025
Council Votes 3-2 to Remove Planning Commissioner Denise Lite
The Santa Clarita City Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday, July 8, to approve a request from Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste to replace Planning Commissioner Denise Lite.
Wednesday, Jul 9, 2025
CHP Distributes Over $35 Million to Fight Impaired Driving in California
The California Highway Patrol today announced more than $35 million in grant funding to 148 California law enforcement agencies, crime laboratories, local government agencies and nonprofit organizations to help address the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Wednesday, Jul 9, 2025
Rep. Whitesides Rolls Out Legislative Package to Combat Excessive Heat
As temperatures in Southern California reach triple digits this week, Rep. George Whitesides, D-Agua Dulce, is helping to lead a series of bills aimed at addressing the growing threat of extreme heat.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1981 - Gov. Jerry Brown authorizes use of malathion to eradicate medflies; aerial spraying begins [story]
helicopter spraying malathion
We’re only halfway through 2025, and already this year has challenged us. The financial pressures facing LA County are real, especially with recently enacted cuts to Medicaid.
Dr. Christina Ghaly | Healthcare Access
The city of Santa Clarita is seeking volunteers who want to reduce litter in the community. Join city staff in an organized effort to remove trash and debris from a "hot spot" riverbed area in Canyon Country.
July 25: Beautification/Clean-Up Project Camp Plenty Trailhead
The Castaic Union School District Governing Board will hold a special meeting on Thursday, July 10, at 5:45 p.m.
July 10: Special Meeting of Castaic School Board
The Santa Clarita City Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday, July 8, to approve a request from Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste to replace Planning Commissioner Denise Lite.
Council Votes 3-2 to Remove Planning Commissioner Denise Lite
The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control is beginning to see the impact of recent immigration and deportation enforcement actions on family pets.
Animal Care and Control Supports Pet Owners Affected by Deportation Operations
Don’t miss the opportunity to engage with SCV Water experts and dive deeper into a crucial topic during the upcoming “Water Matters” webinar: Exploring the 2025 Consumer Confidence Report and Water Quality in the SCV. 
July 23: ‘Water Matters’ Webinar to Explore Water Quality in the Santa Clarita Valley
On Tuesday, July 8, 2025, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services activated the County of Los Angeles Fire Department’s canine teams for deployment to assist in the aftermath of catastrophic flooding impacting central Texas.
LACoFD’s Canine Teams Assist in the Aftermath of Catastrophic Flooding
As Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Summer Olympics, questions remain on how effectively the city will get people to and from venues in a sprawling region that is famously ruled by cars.
CSUN: Public Transportation Will Play Big Factor in Success of ’28 Olympics
California state agencies today announced a statewide series of dialogue sessions meant to generate public discussion around proposed measures to support increased zero emission vehicle adoption in California.
California Hosts Public Sessions to Advance Zero Emission Vehicle Adoption
The California Highway Patrol today announced more than $35 million in grant funding to 148 California law enforcement agencies, crime laboratories, local government agencies and nonprofit organizations to help address the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
CHP Distributes Over $35 Million to Fight Impaired Driving in California
The Santa Clarita Artists Association is featuring their own Nadia Lusian at the Canyon Theatre Guild later this month. 
July 26- Aug. 31: SCAA Features Nadia Lusian at Canyon Theatre Guild
As temperatures in Southern California reach triple digits this week, Rep. George Whitesides, D-Agua Dulce, is helping to lead a series of bills aimed at addressing the growing threat of extreme heat.
Rep. Whitesides Rolls Out Legislative Package to Combat Excessive Heat
1939 - Death of Harald Sandberg; built Sandberg's Summit Hotel on the Ridge Route [story]
Sandberg's Summit Hotel
Santa Clarita Shakespeare will host a memorial service for Brent Christensen, one of the founding members of the acting company and long-time member of the Santa Clarita theater community.
July 13: Santa Clarita Shakespeare Hosts Memorial Service for Brent Christensen
The Master's University men's soccer team has released its 17-game schedule, which also includes three additional scrimmages against NCAA Division I, II and III teams.
2025 TMU Men’s Soccer Schedule Released
The city of Santa Clarita will host a community fire safety meeting in partnership with the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Terra-gen, operator of a battery energy storage facility near Soledad Canyon Road and Sierra Highway.
July 10: Canyon County Energy Storage Fire Safety Community Meeting
As Chair of the Assembly Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth has announced a series of major legislative victories for veterans and military families.
Schiavo Announces Legislative Wins for California Veterans
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department encourages new residents to the Santa Clarita Valley and those who may not have already registered to complete registration with Alert LA for timely emergency updates and information.
SCV Residents Urged to Sign Up for Alert LA Emergency Notificatons
No tickets were sold matching all six numbers in the Monday July 7 Powerball drawing. However, one ticket which matched five numbers, was sold in Santa Clarita, at the Seafood City Supermarket, 26579 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus, CA 91350. It is worth $555,503.
Big Money Powerball Ticket, Worth $555,503, Sold at Seafood City in Saugus
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has approved the appointment of Sarah Mahin as the first director of the new Department of Homeless Services and Housing, the county’s consolidated department focused on homelessness solutions.
Board of Supervisors Appoints First Director of Homeless Services and Housing
The Castaic Union School District Governing Board will hold its regular meeting Thursday, July 10 at 6 p.m. The board will first meet in closed session at 5 p.m.
July 10: CUSD Board of Trustees Regular Meeting
The Small Business Development Center hosted by College of the Canyons is presenting three free webinar workshops on July 10, hosted by PCR Business Finance.
July 10: Small Business Week Workshops
1997 - Santa Clarita City Council adopts initial Newhall Redevelopment Plan [story]
El Trocadero restaurant
SCVNews.com