Just a small tribute I wrote up in memory of this day. Just a note- Kamea is my OC I created to represent the state of Hawaii. I wish she could have been introduced under less somber circumstance, but this was how it turned out.
None of the other mentioned characters belong to me.
And so, without further ado, please enjoy this ficlet.
December 7, 1941. A date which will live in infamy.
Those words, which served as a mere war-time phrase to many of the young ones who had witnessed that war only in textbooks, rang true to her still. Kamea couldn't expect any differently. Nearly seventy years have passed now, enough to span three generations. Yet for one whose years did not run the same course as those of a human, for one whose experience with these events was more personal in nature, the memory was as fresh as if they were about to transpire within the hour.
Today, like every other year on this date, Kamea was taking time from her usual work to visit the Arizona Memorial. There a white 184-foot-long memorial structure rests above the sunken U.S.S. Arizona battleship in remembrance of the men who had died during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
She approached the visitor's center and waited in line to board the small boats that would take the people to the memorial itself. Her calves were aching from the long walk from Waikiki, but honestly, with the parking situation, it made more sense to walk even if the journey was far. Plus, it was merely a small price to pay.
The visitor's center was usually filled with tourists of every type that wanted to see the memorial; after all, who came to Hawaii without making one trip there, right? However, today there were also quite a few veterans who came to pay homage to their fallen friends.
As Kamea inched forward in line with everyone else, she took the time to glance around at the crowd and made note of familiar faces which, before, used to be so vivacious with youthful arrogance and life. There was the sailor she danced with at a club. There was the officer she shared drinks with who boasted of winning at every type of gamble possible. Time really puts a toll on humans, and she could see it in all of them. In every tired wrinkle, in every grunt of exhaustion from mere small movements.
As a personification, she should have grown to expect this. After all, she had to see even great leaders like Kamehameha I, who united all the islands, die. He who was rumored to lift a five thousand pound stone wasn't any match for death. But no matter how "used-to-it" she should have been, it didn't make it any easier.
Especially on days like today when you were reminded of those who had their lives cut so short. To be extinguished even before they really had time to live.
Finally, she boarded one of the small transport boats and was soon stepping up to the memorial. Steps led up to the white structure that had open gaps in its "roof" so many could see the sky overhead. Today was appropriately hazy with low hanging grey clouds. Light rain showers sporadically appeared earlier in the day, but they never lasted long enough to truly do more than dust everything with a thin layer of moisture.
As she walked forward, she saw many people taking the time to read the plaques set along the walls explaining various details of the battleship itself or of the attack. The gaps in the walls looked out onto the strip of land the visitor's center was located on as well as the ocean. Through one of the gaps, people could even see one of the spouts from the U.S.S. Arizona battleship itself. The water around the fallen battleship was still murky and dark with glistening oil.
Appropriately the biggest cluster of people was concentrated at the rear of the memorial where a giant dark brown plaque was set up, listing the names of the men who had died during the attack. In front of it were many bouquets of flowers laid down by family and friends of the deceased. Those who were just tourists snapped photos with their cameras while those who were personally impacted by this attack lingered and stared up at the plaque. While it seemed like they were reading the names over and over a thousand times in their heads, they were really there to reminisce.
Kamea was doing the same. After she laid down her own bouquet of flowers and paid her respects, she stepped off to the side to lean against a railing and stare out at the oily water, thinking back on that day. . .
December 7th. 7:00 AM. Sunday. A normally lazy day.
Kamea was still sleepy as she made her way to the radar stations. Someone had called her, saying that they had detected something that she should see in order to determine if it was urgent or not. However, being so far out in the middle of the ocean with nothing ever happening what did she have to worry about?
After taking time to look at the strange cluster of bleeps on the radar screen, she knew it couldn't have been anything serious. Weren't there some B-17s that were expected to arrive from the mainland? There is nothing to worry about, she assured the commanders. And so the aircrafts were left as they were parked wingtip-to-wingtip on the airfields while the anti-aircraft guns were left unmanned with the ammunitions locked up as per the peacetime regulations.
In addition, it was a Sunday and those who weren't sleeping off their hangovers from partying the previous night were attending church or spending a leisurely morning ashore.
With this safe thought in mind, Kamea also decided to leave so she could take a nice walk along the beach. The sounds of the shore were calm and the air was nice and cool. The sky was hazy, but it wasn't raining so she found no reason to complain.
An hour later, she was lying on her back in a secluded spot, staring up at the sky. Her eyes were closed as she let the rays of the sun warm her body. Little did she realize that lurking in the shadows was a pair of eyes that were widened with evil, power-hungry intent. Little did she know until it was too late.
The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
A scream pierced the air in tandem with the explosions. Blood oozed from her back; a hole shot completely through from a point-blank angle. She didn't know what was worse-the pain from shock or the sting from the actual wound. All she knew was that she had to act fast.
The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its Emperor looking towards the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.
That man who attacked, she knew that man! That man was supposed to be negotiating peace treaties with Mr. Jones. America was supposed to be neutral; something like this shouldn't have happened!
But there he stood now with eyes that could be described as nothing short of demonic. Greed. Those were the eyes of one who was never satisfied, who wanted more and more and would do anything to get what they wanted.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
She couldn't just lay back and let this happen.
The struggle was long and hard. He was fearless, even when she shot back at him. Her bullets would barely graze his skin while his shots landed directly at her most vital spots.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost.
But she was tenacious. She had to defend herself, her land. By God, she had to do her best to keep him at bay.
Always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.
Finally, like a horrible nightmare, their struggle ended. He fell back and retreated, but she knew it was not truly over. It had only begun. Even if she wanted to do more, she knew her job was to contact Mr. Jones. It was her most urgent duty now to tell him what had happened.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory. I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the People when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
News spread rampantly. And the very next day, war was declared on the Japanese empire. . .
. . .Kamea touched her cheeks which were wet with tears. That day would be forever burned in her memory. Even if she and Honda-san were cordial now, it was on days like this that she couldn't help but remember the monster he was before, of the extent one would go to in order to get what they wanted.
Traumatized.
Yes, that was a good way to put it.
Besides the emotional and mental scars, she also bore the physical ones which ensured she would never forget that day. The one that had struck her chest, so close to her heart, still ached from the mere memory of the surprise attack.
However, like the men who survived the attack and the whole war, life forever moves on. Those men didn't remain mired in that moment. They went on with their lives, raised families, and grew old with their spouses by their sides. Sure, on days like this, the memories do arise. But she knew that that's all they would be. Just memories.
And so, after taking a moment to regard what used to be Battleship Row, Kamea turned and left with a small smile spread across her face, the soft rays of the sun overhead peeking through the dismal cloudy sky.
Looks like tomorrow will be a brighter day.