It was On This Day in 1941, at 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time, that the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, destroying a large portion of the US Pacific fleet and bringing the United States into World War II. It was, as President Franklin D Roosevelt declared, truly a day that would live in infamy. Being a Sunday morning, most of the ships anchored at Pearl Harbor were only lightly manned. In the end, 18 US ships were destroyed, sunk or capsized. Over 3,000 Americans were among the casualties and another 2,400 killed. That morning the Harrisburg Telegraph ran a three lone, all capitals bolded headline announcing the bombing. The paper ran various articles about the bombing, the war, and Pennsylvania ’s involvement. One noted that PA Governor James instructed State Police to be “in readiness for immediate action.” Congress quickly declared war on Japan . The Senate voted unanimously 82 to 0. In the House however there was but one lone single dissenting vote. Jeanette Rank...
by Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman