As part of my challenge to share information about my father Oscar Edwin Lindbloom to his descendants, I am going to blog little snippets from his journals occasionally. Here is an interesting one dated November 24/41 to December 6/41:
" The Beginning of the End"

Dec 7, 1941 at 7:55 a.m. which was on Sunday morning prior to my getting ready for Sunday School and church I had to form a fatigue detail for policing Ehickamauga Park when out of the sky directly over Wheeler field and adjacent to our barracks area came a squadron of planes (common to us for we were used to seeing planes in usual maneuvers Sunday or week days) unlike the others these dropped black missiles which upon impact brought destruction. Then we noticed upon closer inspection the emblem of the Rising Sun on the planes. Japan was really here with the falling of bombs came the shattering of machine guns and the spray of tracers. We were taken by surprise (as it were) and our surprise was so great that our taking cover was unthought of. We were exposed to the very thing that could have ushered us all into Eternity. (The whole organization,33rd qm (quartermaster) co were in this group witnessing the attack by a foreign power on the vital defenses of Oahu. Wheeler Field was all but blown to bits Hanger after Hanger blown up or burned with ou own planes still standing on the ground. One man in our area was hit by a machine gun bullet. Reports later proved that Pearl Habor and all our Airfields were the targets of our enemy. Ships planes and lifes were lost and history records there the results of a dastardly attack by a nation following closely the policy's of Nazi Germany and her method of warfare. As a sneak in the night they struck at our vitals and then ran the course of assassins. All this but not before we awakened to a course of retribution. Their aircraft carrier and 20 planes were destroyed and all the quislings rounded up to face an uncertain future.
Thus on December 8th at 12:30 pm the Congress of United States declared a state of war existed between Imperial Japan and United States of America. The President (Roosevelt) making a formal request and Congress making the resolution which was adopted unanimous with the exception of Congress Women Jeanette Rankin of Montana.
Then history will further record that on December 11th, 1941 that Italy and Germany members of a triparty Pact with Japan have also declared war on the United States. This was quietly followed by the President of United States and by the 100% vote of Congress declaring that a state of war existed between United States and Germany and Italy.
Japan in her ruthless attack on the Pacific Possession of the United States, including Hawaii, Philippines, Guam and Wake caused considerable loss of life in service personnel and civilian population. The Navy probably losing the greater number (approx 3000 dead and wounded)
So now we stand armed to the teeth with weapons of warfare ready to vindicate those of our brethren all ready fallen.