Piece of My Memories

December 7, 1941, 9.45 am; the attack just end, the horrible and difficult time for all of us. About 2,000 casualties include servicemen and 68 civilians, and the 1,104 men aboard the Battleship USS Arizona killed. Carol Jones was a nurse at the naval hospital, Oahu Island, Hawaii, helping people who hurt after the Japanese attacked. After she knew the news from navy that the Arizona battleship bombed and sunk down, none of single human remain alive, her heart dropped down to the bottom of her feet, it fulfilled with sadness of her beloved friend. She had to stopped her felling and acted as nothing happened, because she knew that there are many people still remained alive and need her help to pull them out from death. She just hoped to see him alive, smile, and talk with him again, or at least let’s her express her feeling to him from the bottom of her heart.  

            The story started after her graduation day…………………….

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            Today 20, July 1941, I am at my university -IOWA WOMEN'S ARCHIVES UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES. The reason I’m here is today is my graduation day. I finally become a full nurse. Before today, my roommate called me

“Carol, someone sent this letter for you”

“Where is it?”(I’m really excite, hopefully it will be about my career)

 I received a letter, it said from government; they offered me to be a nurse at the naval hospital, Oahu, Hawaii. Then the next day, I dress up with the blue long sleeves blouse. And below I ware a blue pattern cut skirt and white high heels. My hairs were pulled back and curled on top. I putted my favorite red had on with the flower on a side of it. I have been planning for today since last night. Now I am going to visit my parents at Georgia. I travel by train called “Missouri Pacific 2-10-2 #1721”. I arrive in Georgia on the next day 22nd, July 1940. The aircraft know about my coming so they prepare an airplane for me.

…

            She arrives at her parents’ house. She is telling good news to her mother.

“My dear, my greatest child, finally you become a successful person”

Her mother talking to her with her shaking voice, the tears run from her eyes slide pass her cheek, the tears of proud and happiness. She hugs her daughter so tight.

“Mom, I’ll leaving tomorrow, are you coming with me”

“Of cause sweetie” she answers her.

…

            I woke up at 7.00am on 23rd July; today will be my first time to fly. After I took a shower, I dressed up the same style but this time my clothes are blue navy color. And final step I putting on my favorite perfume-Chantilly Perfume-, it’s contained the scent of contains lemon, neroli, carnation and is accented with vanilla, leather and tonka musk. I walk to my daddy’s car, it is a black Ford Automobile, was build in 1939. We are going to the airport.  

 

*After she arrived at the airport

 

They tell me the name of this airplane is “Stearman”; it’s about 9ft 2” high. The airplane mostly cover up by yellow, it got some red at the middle on the wings, and blue at its tail. My destination is Ford Island, Naval Air Station between Pearl City and Oahu Island, Hawaii. My flight is starting now, the captains of Stearman asks me "mam, are you ready for your flight?", "Of cause, I can't believe that I will be float in the air today". I am hugging my parents again for last time. After I'm ready in the airplane, it's begins to float, moment later I am now above the ground so high. The airplane goes slowly, I looking down. I said to myself that I couldn’t imagine anything more beautiful than this. The view around is the most gorgeous view I never saw in my entire life. I travel through Georgia, through Florida. At 2.35pm, I'm arriving at my destination.

 

*After she arrived at Hawaii

            Its 5pm, I have to gets into her building before the sun goes down. They send me to the ship called Shaw. I think it is big transportation that I ever seen before. After a while I arrive at Oahu Island, I am shocking. I did say this ship is big but when I saw the other battleship on the port, I stare at it without blinking. It is such an unbelievable new experience for me. I saw many men wearing the navy costume, it is white included their hats and the pants, and they got a ties from back of their necks to their chests. They walking in a neatly row, and some of them is cleaning the ship. 45 minutes later, I am arriving at my building. It settles in the northwest of this island close to the Naval hospital.

            People here are very nice I they are prepare dinner and cerebration for me. It is the women building, every room fill up by 3 women. I am with Michelle Woo, the Chinese from California, and Kalia, she born here, Hawaii. She said her name is means beauty. I taking a shower, but I can’t sleep. The time is too different, it ahead 4 hours than Iowa. Later that night I try to force myself to sleep, because I know that I have to stat a new career tomorrow.

The sun is rising up…….

            Today will be the first day of her career. She goes with her roommate Michelle and Kalia. They decide to walk there, because in not so far from their place and they think it good to exercise in the morning.

…..

            Michelle is a very smart and nice person. She is very shy. She has short black hairs, and she wearing glasses. Kalia is a good looking and strong woman. Her skin is tan. She has a very long hair, also she a lot taller than me and Michelle. After we arrived at the hospital, she introduces me to people there. I helping doctor around and taking care of people as usual nurse. Everyday was incredibly fun, three of us always hanging out after finish at the hospital. Our favorite place is a big rock that leaning toward to the ocean.

August 10th 1941, I’m working at the hospital. While I still working, people are rushing toward and going to the doctor room. I found out that us having an emergency patient. A guy from the navy was accidentally flipped and cut himself on his leg. It was scratched a part of the battleship and the skin has open up. He needs to stitch immediately. His name is Ben Johnson; he is a navy for the Arizona battleship. Because it is during the peace time, so there are not many emergency situations as this. Since that day I serving the food and pill for him until the cut is heal. We become a really close friend, after he get off from the hospital; we and our friends always hanging out together. My life goes very well even more than my expectation.

…

            Saturday, December 6th, 1941, the nation situation goes on badly. At the Washington DC, President Franklin D Roosevelt made a final appeal to the emperor of Japan for peace, but there is no replying back. At late of today circle breaking service begins intercepting a 14 parts of Japan message and decipher the first 13 parts passing them to the President and secretary of State. Americans predict that Japan will attack somewhere in South Asia.

In the other part of US, Hawaii, Carol and her friend including Ben are having a cerebration for Kalia’s Birthday.

…

“I having a greatest time of my life” Kalia telling Carol and Michelle, after they arrive at their room. “Well tomorrow might get better than this, so it should be time for bed now. We might have a lot of work to do tomorrow”

            I lay down on my bed, my eyes are automatically close.

…

            While they lying down on their bed, they don’t have any clue that some bad event are happening soon. December 7, 1941, Washington DC at 10am, the Japanese message is intercepting. It instructs the Japan embassy to deliver the main message to the America at 1 pm. Washington DC tries to send out an alert by using a commercial telegraph, because radio contract with Hawaii is broken.

…

            I open up my eyes again, and see fire surround me. I’m looking for other people, but the thickness of smoke and the sound of something burning are cover all my senses that I can use. The fire growing larger and larger as the time goes by. I try to scream for help as loud as I can. My body finally covers by fire, I closing my eyes. A second later I jump up and open my eyes. I see nothing happen, I still on my bed. I’m glad that was only a dream, but my body couldn’t stop shaking. I look at the clock, 5.40am. I am walking steady and quietly toward the door, to the hallway. 20 minutes later, I hear the strange noise goes all over the place. Everyone are waking up and rushing dress up. They said it is the warning signal. We don’t know what happening, but we pray that our friends will be alright.

…

            Americans are taken completely by surprise. The Japanese are attacking the island near Oahu. First they targets at the airfields and battleships. And the second attack is targets the other ships and shipyard facilities at Pearl Harbor. The air raid lasts until 9.45am. The Japanese attacks were costing American the damage of 8 battleships with five sunk including the Arizona battleship which Ben and his friends stayed during the attack. Also include 3 light cruisers, 3 destroyers, 3 smaller vessels are lost with along with 188 aircrafts, and 2,335 lives. Four hours later after the attacking the commercial alert just arrived at the Hawaii.

…

            At the evening of the same day, I and my friends heard the bad news about Ben and his friends. Only one day pass the happiest day of my life is turning into the saddest day. For this nation, we have no clue what will happen next. We don’t know that it will lead American to the next war or not. We taking a silent moment to memorize him and all the great time when we having him around, in our memories forever.