Stories of Faith and Courage From World War II (10 page)

President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library)

We face the arduous days that lie before us in the warm courage of national unity; with the clear consciousness of seeking old and precious moral values; with the clean satisfaction that comes from the stern performance of duty by old and young alike. We aim at the assurance of a rounded, a permanent national life.

We do not distrust the future of essential democracy. The people of the United States have not failed. In their need they have registered a mandate that they want direct, vigorous action. They have asked for discipline and direction under leadership. They have made me the present instrument of their wishes. In the spirit of the gift I take it.

In this dedication of a Nation we humbly ask the blessing of God. May He protect each and every one of us. May He guide me in the days to come.
⁴⁵

Roosevelt was a lifelong Episcopalian, baptized in St. James Church at Hyde Park, New York. He served as a vestryman and senior warden. Like many Episcopalians he was very personal in his faith. He once said, “I can do almost anything in the ‘Goldfish Bowl’ of the president’s life, but I’ll be hanged if I can say my prayers in it…”
⁴⁶
Nevertheless, in crucial times he turned the focus of the nation toward God, his own ultimate source of guidance and protection. While none of us may ever confront the weight of responsibility carried by Franklin Roosevelt, we have equal access to God and the same source of strength that sustained the president and America during the dark days before and during World War II.

I lift up my eyes to the hills where does my help come from? My help comes from the L
ORD
, The Maker of heaven and earth.

—Psalm 121:1–2

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EBRUARY 2

Public Reaction

War came suddenly and unexpectedly in the Pacific. Pearl Harbor was an attack without warning launched even before war had been declared. The first public reaction was utter outrage. All the leaders and politicians called for unity. In its December 15, 1941, issue,
Time
magazine tried to capture the public mood. What was happening in America? Behind the initial outburst of emotion there seemed to be evidence of an underlying calmness and determination:

At the docks in San Diego, as the afternoon wore on, a crowd slowly grew. There were a few people, then more, then a throng, looking intently west across the harbor, beyond Point Loma, out to the Pacific where the enemy was. There was no visible excitement, no hysteria, and no release in words for the emotions behind the grim, determined faces.

In every part of the U.S. the terse, inadequate words gave outward and visible signs of the unfinished emotions within. Many just said, “Well, it’s here.” Sometimes they had nothing at all to say.

Thus the U.S. met the first days of war. It met them with incredulity and outrage, with a quick, harsh, nationwide outburst that swelled like the catalogue of some profane Whitman. It met them with a deepening sense of gravity and a slow, mounting anger. But there were still no words to express emotions pent up in silent people listening to radios, reading papers, taking trains. But the U.S. knew that its first words were not enough.
⁴⁷

Quiet determination reveals a depth of character and commitment not usually revealed by outward displays of emotion. Americans have always identified with the phrase, “Actions speak louder than words.” In December 1941 this trait began to show itself among the American people. This national characteristic has specific biblical roots. Scripture enjoins us to pay more attention to what we do than what we say.

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

—1 John 3:17–18

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EBRUARY 3

I Joined to See the World

Joe Morgan didn’t expect to be in a war when he joined the Navy as a teenager. “I joined up to see the world, not fight a war,” he said. “When the attack started I was scared and looked for a place to hide.”
⁴⁸
Morgan was at the airfield on Ford Island when the Japanese struck. Inside a hangar he found an I-beam to hide beneath. From his position of relative safety, he began to observe others outside the hanger firing back at the enemy airplanes: “Here I was, a trained gunner hiding in an I-beam and I began to feel ashamed of myself. The shame overpowered my fear. I went into the armory and grabbed a machine gun to fight back.”
⁴⁹

Fear is an understandable reaction to confusion and danger. However, this sailor and many others rose above it to do their duty, often courageously. In our daily lives we usually do not have to be heroes. However, it does take courage to admit our mistakes and to ask for forgiveness. It often takes courage to commit to a relationship, and to stick with it. It may even take courage for some to get up in the morning. An article in my Bible gives this insight: “Courage isn’t only for heroes… Because we have Jesus Christ behind us all his love, power, and wisdom we can afford to be brave. For Christians, this life is about living in God’s strength.”
⁵⁰

“But Lord,” Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” The L
ORD
answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”

—Judges 6:15–16

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EBRUARY 4

Readiness

The main story of Pearl Harbor was the woeful lack of readiness on the part of political and military leaders who should have known better. Any degree of alertness, coupled with minimal dispersal of ships and aircraft could have saved countless lives and invaluable equipment. Pearl Harbor, the movie, was released in 2001. In a thoughtful review of the movie Ken James compared the state of military forces then to our spiritual condition now:

Being reminded of the true story behind Pearl Harbor I can’t help but think about the spiritual parallels. While the majority of people live their lives in relative peace, thinking everything is just fine, how many of us will be blindsided when death comes? And yes, I’m talking to churchgoers too. What have you done to ensure you are ready when the end comes? There’s a statistic that says death is 100% fatal. Sooner or later it’ll happen. I hope you have put your trust in Jesus Christ. He’s the only way to a bright eternity. Trusting in your own good works will get you nowhere. The USS Arizona and other members of the fleet at Pearl Harbor weren’t ready, and they sadly found that out too late.
⁵¹

As we live our daily lives, often marked by ordinary routines, it may be difficult to grasp the inevitability of death and the importance of being ready for it. Even so, we must realize that when our time comes, we may not have the luxury of even a moment to prepare ourselves. Even without a clear and present danger to focus our attention, we need to make sure our souls are prepared for the eternal future. (JG)

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour… Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”

—Matthew 25:13, 34

Japanese aircraft launch for attack on Pearl Harbor. (National Archives)

USS
Shaw
explodes during Pearl Harbor attack. (National Archives)

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EBRUARY 5

Attacking the Hinges

On a ship, the worst disaster imaginable is capsizing. Plunged into darkness and turned upside down, the crew has no way to escape. The hull sits on top of them, a barrier to the outside world. At Pearl Harbor, this happened quickly to the Oklahoma, and the West Virginia was in danger of the same fate. Ripped by repeated torpedo hits on the port side, her compartments were flooding rapidly, and the ship was at a twenty-eight-degree list. Capsizing seemed inevitable.

Below deck, there was a group of sailors called Shipfitters who knew what needed to be done. The ship had to be counter-flooded so she could rest squarely on the mud beneath. This required opening a series of valves to let in seawater. The Shipfitters, however, were stymied because the special valve handles they needed were locked in a chest. They gathered around the chest, frantically beating at the lock with whatever was at hand, but it wouldn’t budge. In the midst of the panic and confusion, one of the sailors, Sylvester Puccio, barked for everyone to step aside. He came forward with his tools and started attacking the hinges on the locker. He soon had the doors removed. Within minutes, the little group was opening valves, and the West Virginia started settling on an even keel.

There were many heroes at Pearl Harbor who were recognized for their service. However, it was not until many years later that the son of another survivor pieced together the details of this unheralded incident. He learned that he owed his life and his children’s lives to this man who had saved his father, thousands of others, and a battleship. He was forever thankful that Sylvester Puccio stepped forward on that day, able to think for himself, and able to calmly solve a problem in the midst of chaos. He called him, “An Angel Sent by History.”
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We may not often have the opportunity to prove our own heroism in a dramatic way, but if we are willing and available, we can be as angels to those around us by recognizing a need and rising to the occasion to meet it.

In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them.

—Isaiah 63:9

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EBRUARY 6

Rumors

Henry Lachenmayer was a twenty-two-year-old crewmember of the USS
Pennsylvania
at Pearl Harbor. During the attack he did his best to perform his battle duties as a medic. He was eyewitness to the destruction wrought on the
Pennsylvania
and surrounding ships. After recounting the events of the day in his diary, he summarized the rumors that were swirling in the aftershock of the attack:

Here are some of the rumors passing amongst us, none of us having real solid information. Some of the enemy planes were piloted by German fliers. The enemy tried to land troops at Nanakuh and Waikiki beaches, but were repulsed. We sank two enemy aircraft carriers some distance from the islands. Wake and Midway islands are in Japanese hands. Saboteurs land in great numbers on the island. We had two more alarms… but these proved to be only scares.
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We always hear rumors, especially in times of uncertainty. When the facts are unknown, there always seems to be someone willing to supply them out of his own imagination. Jesus was aware of this all-too human tendency and tried to prepare his disciples to deal with it. When they asked him to explain what would happen at the time of his return, Jesus warned them, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed” (Matthew 24:6). He then told them to ignore the rumors. He told them, in fact, that they could ignore all human sources of news. They would directly and personally know when the Son of Man returned to Earth.