"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, in the film "Tora, Tora, Tora c:1970

Musings on Sunday, Dec. 7th

At an outpost on a mountain top,
These two young sentinels kept their watch.
Manning America’s latest technology,
Would play a large part in history.

After a long night watching a screen,
No blips upon it to be seen.
Suddenly appearing before their eyes,
One blip of a tremendous size.

I imagine the ensuing conversation,
“Man, look at this. There was never anything like this in school”.
“ Gosh that is huge it must be a flock of birds”.
“ Just to be on the safe side we’ve gotta call this one in”.
“Agreed”.

Sunday morning in paradise is a time of relaxation, reflection,
Nursing a hangover perhaps.
Sunday morning not all the phones were manned,
Making the situation even more dire.

When someone in charge was finally found,
The blip had gotten closer to ground.
Informed it was probably a flight of bombers from the mainland,
The guys went home, for their shift was only at night.

The bases were now left unaware,
A crushing blow was in the air.
Before Japan, we almost knelt,
I just wonder how the two,
Young radarmen must have felt.

©2008 Walt Hardester