A Day in Infamy

Guest Contributor: Johnye Saylor

We had been staying at my family’s home in Honolulu. When guests came to visit one of our to do things was visiting the Arizona Memorial. It is a somber place to visit. Over 2,000 Americans were killed on Dec. 7,1941, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. There is a sadness permeating the memorial. One does not hear joyfulness nor laughter from visitors. Such sadness in one of earths most beautiful spots. 

We had gone out to the memorial, on the transport boat. I always visited with a degree of trepidation. Over 1,000 sailors are entombed in the USS Arizona which sunk after the attack. Fortunately there were very few visitors that day which made what was about to enfold, so personal.

I had resided in Japan for several years. I found the Japanese people endearing. Their culture is one to be celebrated. The politeness of the people is universal. I am always in awe of their art and am an avid collector to this day. All this does not negate the fact that they attacked my country and we were adversaries in the early 1940’s. 

We had disembarked from the transport boat and began walking further into the memorial. Almost immediately there was an announcement over the PA system. All on the memorial were asked to remain respectful as a Japanese gentleman and family were boarding the memorial. He had been a survivor of his county’s  attack on Pearl Harbor and was coming aboard to express his sorrow for what he and his countrymen had done – 129 of his fellow pilots had perished in the attack. 

The man and his family, accompanied by park rangers, walked into the memorial and the gentleman immediately began to cry. He was holding a bouquet of flowers, as were the rest of his small entourage. There was a Buddhist prayer shawl around his shoulders. He slowly walked to the edge of the memorial, deeply bowed and softly let the flowers slip from his fingers to the water below.  All the while he  was murmuring a prayer interspersed with his sobs. His family tearfully followed suit. 

Those of us viewing this were all in tears. None of us had expected what was occurring and I know I was visibly struck by the moment. 

Here was an elderly man expressing sorrow for what had happened decades prior, when he was barely more than a boy. He had journeyed from Japan with his family to express the sorrow he felt. He was a diminutive man, apologizing for all those who had taken part in that horrible attack. 

I have often reflected on that day. The courage it took for him to do an almost impossible task. At that small moment in time he had the character to do something very few others would or could ever do. 

I have always felt that those of us at the memorial that day were privileged to have been there at that moment. Hundreds lay dead beneath our feet and here was one of the perpetrators, expressing,  in the best way he could, how sad and sorry he was. At that moment he embodied all that is good about mankind. How many of us have that strength of character? 

There is an old adage that says, "as long as one’s name is spoken we are not forgotten". He deserves to be remembered. I don’t know his name but he is certainly not forgotten. 

So interesting that we, as humans, can forgive. We can forgive wars and hate. Quite remarkable. I believe this is singular to humans, in the animal world.

And to the four Nevadans who lay at rest on the Arizona, your sacrifice is not forgotten. 

Elmer Yates
Eric Young
Richard Weaver
Richard Gill