“Remember Pearl Harbor” and other songs from World War II, from my correspondent from that war, my father, Erwin A. Thompson

riehlife — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 14:01:53 +0000

I asked my father, who in the Second World War was Sergeant Erwin A. Thompson, "I" Company, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, First Army to write a post honoring Pearl Harbor Day.

My father is a man who served in that war and still has scars around his scrapnel wounds to prove it. I know, because I have seen these moons of flesh that never fade. My father is a man who the war never left, but over time, it has become more tender within him, as I think every man who serves in a war brings home wounds inside. My father's war years marked our family life in many ways and we are different, but not poorer, for it.

As a musician, he chose to share two important songs from the time: "Remember Pearl Harbor," and "There's a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere" (below).

REMBEMBER PEARL HARBOR

Shortly after the attack on December 7, 1941 and America's entry in to the war, one of the first and the most classic World War Two patriotic songs was written by Don Reid and music by Reid and Sammy Kaye.

LET'S REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR,

AS WE GO TO MEET THE FOE!

LET'S REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR,

AS WE DID THE ALAMO!

WE'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER

HOW THEY DIED FOR LIBERTY.

LET'S REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR,

AND GO ON TO VICTORY!

Riehl Life: Village Wisdom for the 21st Century » Pearl Harbor Day

“Remember Pearl Harbor” and other songs from World War II, from my correspondent from that war, my father, Erwin A. Thompson