Memories from Pearl Harbor—Stories Too Terrible to Forget

Sometimes the most horrific memories are also the most important ones to remember…and to

preserve for generations after us. December 7, 2011, marks the 70th anniversary of one of the

most defining moments in American history.

Every U.S. history textbook will tell you that the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December

7, 1941, marked the United States’ entrance into World War II. But the history books can’t

tell the stories like the men and women who were there…those who lived the harrowing event

firsthand. There aren’t many of them left to share their story, but those who are still here—now

entering their 90s—have not forgotten what happened that day.

So, I went in search of those stories–those memories—told from the lips of the heroes

themselves. Here is just a sprinkling of the riveting stories I found about Pearl Harbor veterans

recalling their experiences from that fateful day 70 years ago…

Here’s an excerpt of “Pearl Harbor 70 years later: Local veterans recall an event too terrible to

forget,” published December 1, 2011, by Janice Crompton, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

When destiny called, they answered.

When the bombs came crashing to earth, they sought refuge -- and sought to make sense of the chaos around them.

Sgt. Art Nagy
When Sgt. Art Nagy closes his eyes and concentrates, he still can smell the sickening stench of burning oil and blood.

"It was chaos," the 89-year-old McKeesport resident recalled, his voice cracking with emotion. "I can remember it still."

Sgt. Nagy, who entered the Army as a private and retired several years later as a sergeant, was sleeping when the attack began at 7:53 a.m. "I woke up from the noise," he recalled.

His barracks were being pummeled by machine gun fire, as men fell around him.

"We tried to hide anywhere we could," he said.

Sgt. Nagy scrambled under his Army-issued cot to escape the fire, but he didn't stay there long.

As the reality of their situation dawned on Sgt. Nagy and the soldiers around him, they hurried to

install communication lines between buildings.

Sgt. Nagy saw something that was also reported by other veterans who were there that day: The Japanese bombers were flying so low that the faces of the pilots were clearly visible to those on the ground.

He described the scene as "horrible," saying that he saw the pilots grinning. They were close

enough that Sgt. Nagy said he might have been able to shoot one with a .45-caliber gun if he'd

had one that day.

After the bombing stopped, they feared the attack would restart at any time.

"Everybody was trigger-happy that night and nervous," Sgt. Nagy recalled.

After his military service, he went on to work as a steelworker for 23 years and raise three sons

with his wife Theresa, who died five years ago.

Pfc. Bernie Ordos

Bernie Ordos has trouble hearing, but he has no trouble remembering.

The 92-year-old West Mifflin man relies on his wife of 71 years, Betty, to relate most of his

story. He was serving in the Army during the attack, stationed at Schofield Barracks at Pearl

Harbor. A private first class, he was wrapping up his shift on guard duty and headed to breakfast when he spotted two planes flying low, headed his way.

"He was walking to the mess hall," Mrs. Ordos, 88, said. "But he didn't have breakfast for the

next two days."

Mrs. Ordos said her husband quickly dove "under about 30 mattresses" in his barracks as "bombs were dropping all around him."

"He said it was terrible," she recalled. "There was black smoke everywhere."

Like others, Pfc. Ordos remembered seeing the faces of the pilots.

"He could see them as plain as day," Mrs. Ordos said. Her husband was so traumatized that he

still has never set foot in an airplane, she said. "He sees that every day. He never gets it off his

mind."

Back at home, an 18-year-old Mrs. Ordos was terrified for her new husband when she heard

about the attacks on her mother-in-law's radio.

"I thought he was going to get killed," said Mrs. Ordos, who just a year before had eloped to

Kentucky to marry her sweetheart. "I thought he was never coming back."

But, Mr. Ordos eventually did come back and spent the next 35 years as a steel worker and father to the couple's three children.

To read the entire article, go to this page:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11335/1193497-55.stm.

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Video interviews from Pearl Harbor survivors

While the newspaper interviews I read during my research were fascinating, I wanted to be able

to hear the stories from the veterans themselves. I hit the jackpot when I found “Pearl Harbor

survivors share their stories” from the St. Louis Post-Herald, by Erik M. Lunsford. For this

piece, the author interviewed—and recorded on video—several Pearl Harbor veterans about their memories of Pearl Harbor.

Here are two of the wonderful interviews…

Jim Parker

Pearl Harbor survivor Jim Parker, 89, of St. Louis. The Navy chief was on his way to hoist

the flag on the USS. Oglala. He never made it. A blast shook the deck he was on like it was

a diving board. "I did my first and only somersault - backwards," Parker said. Parker said

the sudden switch from morning routine to chaos is one that has to be lived through to fully

understand. "Everybody was in shock. We were all surprised. You're going from peace time to a whole world war. I mean, there was nothing like it. It's too hard to explain."

You can watch the video of Jim Parker’s story at http://videos.stltoday.com/p/video?id=35073191

Hank Metzler

One day after finishing boot camp, Hank Metzler went outside to find out what all the noise was

about. You can watch the video of Hank Metzler’s story at

http://www.blogger.com/goog_933413347

went-outside/vmix_d4eb7002-ff3c-11df-be66-00127992bc8b.html

For more stories and videos of Pearl Harbor survivors, visit this page:

http://www.blogger.com/goog_933413351

00127992bc8b.html#ixzz1fVPDzZKg

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If you know a veteran—a family member or a member in your community—who was there at

Pearl Harbor in 1941, please take the opportunity to preserve (and, ideally, record) his memories from seven decades ago. Although tragic, these are the powerful stories we can’t afford to be forgotten.

Warmly,

Lilo

A Life More Thankful—The Importance of Gratitude

Gratitude is one of our most profitable (yet often overlooked) assets. In fact, the ancient Roman
philosopher Cicero ranked gratitude as the chief virtue, above all others.

While it’s easy enough to express our feelings of gratitude once a year on Thanksgiving as we
stuff our faces with turkey and mashed potatoes, how do we find and maintain gratitude on a
daily basis?

An article by Claudia Morain titled “Thanksgiving can be a year-round blessing, researchers
say,” discusses the scientific link between gratitude and happiness. Here are some excerpts from
the article.

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Although gratitude is often the “forgotten factor” in happiness research, psychologists at the
University of California, Davis, and the University of Miami are engaged in a long-term research
project to help rediscover its importance.

Compared with those who dwell on daily hassles, people who take time instead to record their
reasons for giving thanks also feel more loving, forgiving, joyful, enthusiastic and optimistic
about their futures, while their family and friends report that they seem happier and are more
pleasant to be around.

"Gratitude is literally one of the few things that can measurably change people's lives," UC Davis
psychology professor Robert Emmons writes in his book, Thanks! How the New Science of
Gratitude Can Make You Happier.

Here are some tips from the book to help you cultivate a more grateful approach to life:

• Keep a gratitude journal — Write down and record what you are grateful for, and then when you need to reaffirm your good lot in life, look back on the journal.
• Remember the bad — If you do not remind yourself of what it was like to be sick, unemployed or heartbroken, you will be less likely to appreciate health, your job or your relationship.
• Ask yourself three questions every evening — Fill in the blanks with the name of a person (or persons) in your life. What have I received from ___? What have I given to ___? What troubles and difficulty have I caused ___?
• Learn prayers of gratitude — One that Emmons suggests in his book from the Buddhistteacher Thich Nhat Hanh: "Waking up this morning, I see the blue sky. I join my hands inthanks; for the many wonders of life; for having 24 brand-new hours before me."
• Appreciate your senses — One approach: Practice breathing exercises.
• Use visual reminders — For example, Emmons has a refrigerator magnet in his home bearing this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery. … Today is a gift."
• Make a vow to practice gratitude — "Swearing a vow to perform a behavior actually does increase the likelihood that the action will be executed," the psychologist said.
• Watch your language — It influences how you think about the world.
• Go through the motions — Research shows that emotions can follow behavior.
• Be creative — Look for new situations and opportunities in which to feel grateful, especially when things are not going well.  

(The full article can be found at http://dateline.ucdavis.edu/dl_detail.lasso?id=13082%20)

 

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Teaching gratitude to children

As elusive as thankfulness can sometimes be for adults, it’s a valuable and important lesson for us to teach our children…and the earlier, the better. There are easy ways to cultivate your child's natural thankfulness. The article “How Kids Learn Gratitude” by Jean G. Fitzpatrick has some great ideas. Here are just a few of them:

• Create a year-round thanksgiving spot. This is a home altar of sorts. Find a convenient but safe place--the refrigerator door, a bulletin board, or a small table or shelf. Make this a special spot for things you are thankful for--pictures of people you love, souvenirs and memorabilia, handmade treasures, and, of course, your child's artwork. Invite your child to add his or her own items, and set aside time now and then to admire the objects and pictures together.

• Say thank you to your family. Research suggests that people are actually more likely to express their thanks to strangers or acquaintances than to their own family members or peers, according to the National Institute for Healthcare Research. But when parents show appreciation to one another, to their children, and to other people in their lives, children learn to do the same thing. When your child does a household chore--even if it's one of his or her assigned tasks--say thank you. When your partner does something considerate, express your appreciation.

• Slow down and smell the roses. Babies and toddlers are fascinated by sights and sounds and smells, from the color red to a ringing bell to cookies in the oven. The older we get, the more oblivious we become to the everyday sensory pleasures of the world we live in. When we pause to enjoy them, we regain the openness that is an essential part of gratitude. Make sure your child doesn't spend so much time with electronic entertainment that he or she misses out on the tactile joys of flowers, plants, crayons, paint, music, and dancing.

• Teach your child to write thank-you notes. Even if kids write them on a computer, thank-you notes means more when they specifically mention the gift and say something appreciative about it. Writing thank-you notes to coaches, teachers, baby-sitters, neighbors, clergy, and other caring adults helps a child appreciate all the people who care about him or her (and it's a nice antidote to the complaints most adults hear). 

(To read the rest of Fitzpatrick’s article go to http://www.beliefnet.com/Love-Family/2000/11/How-Kids-Learn-Gratitude.aspx?p=1)

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So now that you’ve learned the key to happiness is being grateful, what are you going to do about it?

We are Facebook posting and tweeting inspirational quotes about gratitude and giving thanks all month long. We hope you enjoy them. Here’s one of my favorites:

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." ~ Innerspace

Warmly,

Lilo

To read more of our favorite quotes about gratitude, visit our Facebook page.

Honoring Loved Ones Departed…An Annual Tradition

Despite its rather morbid name and close proximity to Halloween, the Latin American holiday known as Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is all about remembering loved ones, not glorifying deathly spirits.


The History


Celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, the holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember loved ones who have passed away. The celebration takes place in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). Scholars trace the origins of Dia de los Muertos back to indigenous observances in Mexican Aztec culture several hundred years ago. In modern Mexico, the celebration has attained the status as a national holiday.

The Traditions

Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls and marigolds. Also added to the altars are the favorite foods and beverages of the departed as well as photos and mementos. Family and friends then visit the grave site of loved one bearing these gifts. They spend time at cemeteries to “be with the souls” of loved ones who are no longer with them. But these ceremonies are by no means somber occasions. They are full-of-life gatherings of family and friends and often center around sharing funny stories and memories about the loved ones being honored.

To me—no matter whether you’re Latin, European, Asian, American, all of the above or none of the above—taking time out to cherish the life (and honor the death) of someone dear to you is a special and wonderful thing.

Warmly,
Lilo

How does your family honor the memory of loved ones who have passed away? We'd love to hear about it—here on our blog or on our Facebook page.

Cutest Halloween Photos!

Just for fun, here’s a parade of Halloween cuties to get you in the “spirit” of the holiday…

Sweet little beast

Hey, who ordered lobster?

Trick-or-Treating can be so exhausting!

I’m really a prince!

Enchanted Peacock Fairy?

Awww, what a sweet bunny!

Cutest little Wookie ever!

A lovely lady

 

Don’t call me Dumbo!

Happy Halloween!

Do you have adorable photos of your kids or grandkids in their Halloween costumes that you’d like to share with us? Feel free to post one on our Facebook page for all of us to gush over!

Warmly,

Lilo

October observances are ripe with reminiscence

There are plenty of fun and nostalgic national observances this month! We picked our top 4 favorites and will reveal one each week—inviting you to share a memory that relates to each one.
We hope you’ll get in the spirit by posting here on our blog or on our interactive Facebook page. We will gather all the shared memories throughout the month and post them on this page. Fun photos are always welcome. Happy reminiscing!
Warmly,
Lilo

Top Pick for Week #1

October is National Roller Skating Month! Roller skates have technically been around since the first four-wheeled pair was invented in New York City in 1863. But President Reagan declared it as a national observance in 1983. Roller skating has been widely popular for the past 60 years, and there’s even an entire museum dedicated to collecting, displaying and preserving the history of roller skating. http://www.rollerskatingmuseum.com/


Since it’s National Roller Skating Month—tell us about your VERY FIRST PAIR of skates…

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OK, I’ll start it off. My first pair was those metal shoe skates that were adjustable yet never seemed to fit. We lived way out on a dirt road in the country so the only place I could skate was down in my basement!

My first pair of roller skates were white with red laces – Sandra R.

Black leather disco boots with bright yellow wheels and matching stoppers! Sweet – Jay R.

I was a tomboy and skate BOARDER actually .... don't remember so much about my footed wheels :) — Joie D.

The kind that attaches to your shoes (much less expensive). — Victoria S.

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Top Pick for Week #2

Of course, among October’s observances, who could forget Halloween? If you have set foot inside a grocery store or drug store in the past two months, you’ve undoubtedly been slammed with the merchandising of this spooky holiday. But there was a time–way back when you were a kid—when Halloween was all about the thrill of dressing up for a costume party and going door-to-door begging for treats!

So our question this week is: What was your all-time favorite Halloween costume as a kid—and how old were you when you wore it?

* * * * * * *

I’ll start it off: My all-time favorite was the Pink Panther costume my mom had-made for me when I was five. I loved it so much that I tried to squeeze into it for three years in a row, and I think I even cut the feet off to make it work!

I was a hobo for many Halloweens, as it was such a simple, spur of the moment costume to get together, not to mention comfy, and living in So. Calif, we didn't have to dress for bad weather ..... ahhh, the good old days! ~ Victoria S.

A pink bunny costume my mom made. (My brother didn't enjoy it as much!) ~ Gina M.

A Pirate till my plastic sword broke :( But I got to break it on my brother! ! ~ Jay R.

Well as usual my answer is an odd one. What I remember most (and best) is the fact that I as a kid I possessed and practically lived in 'my costume box" -- it set the tone for my life, hobbies and subsequent career! Decades later I ended up with several cargo size storage containers bursting with hundreds of costumes from the theater company I had for a dozen or so years…who knew that would be the case when as a kid I was playing gypsy, fairy…and a little Dutch girl! Thanks so much for unearthing those memories J ~ Joie D.

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We hope you’ll get in the spirit by posting here on our blog or on our interactive Facebook page. Happy reminiscing!

Top Pick for Week #3

Hey, all you travel junkies out there--did you know that October is National Sightseeing Month? I couldn’t find any real research pointing to the relevance of October for this observance, so I am left to wonder. Perhaps it’s because air travel is often less expensive this month—being after the busy summer season and before the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Or maybe it’s because the weather tends to be beautiful this time of year. Whatever the reason, it’s a time for getting out there and making memories…and sharing them.

So our question this week is: What is your most memorable sightseeing spot?

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I’ll start it off: Taking a thrilling helicopter ride down into the crater of the Waimea Canyon in Kauai. With red rocky cliff walls covered in lush green ferns and white sparkling streams from waterfalls cascading all around—it’s probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.Happy reminiscing!

I was 9, hanging from the keel of a big boat, visiting a baby dolphin for 30 minutes—loving the Florida Keys. ~ Jay R.

Paris! ~ Yoser N.

In answer to your question, a trip I made to Xian, China taught me the true meaning of the word "awe." The site of the Terra Cotta Warriors/Army in Xian ... till that trip I had always considered The Pyramids to be the most spectacular man-made creation I'd ever seen -- not anymore. ~ Joie D.

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We hope you’ll join in the fun by posting here on our blog or on our interactive Facebook page.

Top Pick for Week #4

Apples are perfectly ripe for the picking this month. Perhaps that’s why October is designated as “Mom and Apple Pie” Month. And what better way to enjoy this autumn-harvested fruit than in a good old-fashioned apple pie—the kind that mom used to bake.

Do you have any “sweet memories” of your mom baking in the kitchen? Share a delicious one with us!

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I’ll start: Mom used to bake the most scrumptious apple pie with custard and cinnamon in it. It was always based to perfection and tasted best when still warm from the oven. She doesn’t bake many pies anymore, but her homemade applesauce is still WONDERFUL!

I call my mom’s apple pie a Flan!... Mmm mmm mmm... Gracias mami! ~ Jay R.

I remember my mom made reeses cups and different flavors of rice crispy treats. Chocolate was yummy! ~ Gina M.

Oh my gosh, speaking of Reese's... I am appalled to say I just went through one of the bags of candy I purchased to hand out on Halloween, and I pulled out all the Reese's for myself! Weak!  ~ Joie D


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We hope you’ll join in the fun by posting here on our blog or on our Facebook page. Happy reminiscing!

Who’s documenting your family history?

Grandma Jane was a fashion model in the 1940s.

Uncle Frank rubbed elbows with Reagan back when he was governor.

Big sister Dana swam the chilly waters around Alcatraz Island.

Mom bakes the world’s best snickerdoodles and no one knows her secret ingredient.

October is National Family History Month, and we couldn’t be happier about it! Every family has a history worth sharing and a story worth telling…and retelling. And here at iLivediLoved, that’s precisely what we’re all about. Our express purpose is to give people a place to write down these special stories and memories, and –if you like—post photos, other images and home movies to help bring these colorful stories to life. Or maybe just a place to create digital photo albums…and let the pictures speak for themselves and illustrate the stories of your own family’s history.Whether you’re the designated “family historian” or not, and whether you’re a genealogy buff or not, you possess important family knowledge and fascinating details that deserve to be written down and preserved.

 

Here are some ideas to get your family history started:

• Ask the oldest member in your family line to tell a story about your family’s history. Record or write down what is shared.
• Take pictures of family heirlooms and write photo captions that describe their family significance.
• Cook up some family recipes. Scan or type up the recipes along with any stories that go with them.
• Create a family tree that goes back as many generations as possible. Get other family members to help you fill in the blanks.
• Gather old family photos and take them to a business that will digitize and place them on CDs.
• Create some new family memories and document them while the memories are fresh in your mind. 
 

Once you’ve gathered these keepsakes and have them in your computer, there’s one more critical step in the family history preservation process. Sign in to your iLivediLoved account—and copy, paste and upload to your heart’s content. The next thing you know, you will have a digital keepsake box full of your family’s unique stories and treasured moments…kept safe and secure for generations to enjoy.

As always, we’d love to have you share your stories and experiences with us either here on our blog or on our interactive Facebook page

Warmly,

Lilo

A gift for Alice

Have you heard of Alice Pyne and her amazing story? She’s the inspiring 15-year-old British girl with terminal cancer who garnered worldwide attention in June when she posted a blog called “Alice’s Bucket List” http://alicepyne.blogspot.com/. The blog contains a list of things she wishes to do (like swim with sharks!), but she also uses it as an admirable platform to encourage people to become bone marrow donors.

The outpouring of love over the Internet for Alice and her story was instantaneous and infectious. We at iLivediLoved (along with so many others) wanted to reach out to Alice and help her make the most of every day she has left. So, naturally, we sent her something she could use to write personal messages of love and preserve cherished memories with family and friends—an iLivediLoved gift certificate.  

By this time, Alice had become quite famous (and no doubt overwhelmed with attention), so we were surprised and thrilled when she actually emailed us back! She asked about using the site to help leave gifts for everyone special in her life.

I was delighted to respond and share some tips on how
iLivediLoved works as a place where all her treasured photos, home movies and special letters to loved ones can be kept safe for the rest of her life, and then delivered to each person as a “keepsake gift.”

Alice Pyne’s story continues to inspire me. In fact, she was part of the inspiration for our September “virtual lemonade stand” fundraiser which is raising money for childhood cancer research and treatment.

Help us honor National Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month (this month) by signing up for an iLivediLoved membership for yourself…or giving iLivediLoved as a gift. Either way, your contribution will be donated to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation in an effort to prevent childhood cancer.

Please help us before the month ends—you’ll be glad you did.

Warmly,
Lilo
P.S. We hope Alice is enjoying creating keepsake messages for all her loved ones, and we hope you will, too.

To learn more about our “virtual lemonade stand” click here.

Taking “paws” to remember our pets–past and present

September is World Animal Remembrance Month, so please help us celebrate the lives of our beloved pets—those who live with us today and those who live in our hearts and memories.  

The worldwide month-long observance was created to “remember, respect and honor the memory of all animals... to pay tribute to companion animal family members; animal victims of abuse, cruelty and neglect; animals lost in natural disasters; and animals killed in the line of duty,” according to the PALS Foundation.

It is a proven fact that pet owners live longer and healthier lives than those without pets. Pets offer affection, unconditional love, companionship, and they can even help ease the loss of a loved one. In short, our furry, feathery (and scaly) friends make our lives just plain better.

Do you have a pet who is like another member of the family? If so, we invite you to share a photo of your cute and cuddly critter on our Facebook page.

Even better, you can add photos of your family pets to your iLivediLoved account, and share stories about them so that these memories will be preserved forever. Everyone in the family will be glad you did.

Warmly,

Lilo

P.S. September 11 is National Pet Memorial Day. Come and share a story about a beloved per who is no longer in your life, and we can all celebrate them together on our Facebook page that day!