It was a nice day, that Sunday on December 7 ^th , 80 years ago in Washington, D.C. The warmer than normal weather had caused New England’s famed pussy-willows to bud. The busy DC football stadium was hosting the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia’s Eagles. Strange times. Like this attack on Pearl Harbor, I knew little to nothing about Pearl Harbor. But I was six then at the time.

Prosperity was slowly replacing the poverty of the Great Depression that had held Coal County hostage for so long. The Redskins beat Philadelphia that nice afternoon 24- 10, but all through the game there seemed to be a never-ending series of announcements. They called for a score of top government officials to call their office. Spectators knew something big was happening but didn’t know that the biggest war the world had ever seen was breaking out that nice December afternoon. America’s very existence was being put into question as the game went on. And us? By the time we walked out of the church in Centrahoma, the attackers of Oahu were already headed back to Tokyo.

Navy Ensign John F. Kennedy also attended the big game in Washington too but didn’t know until later when he heard it on his car radio that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor. All five of our battleships had been sunk and our own battleship Oklahoma lay on its side. Yes, 2400 servicemen had been killed in the surprise attack before the military in Honolulu could call Roosevelt.

In Centrahoma the Bullard’s were still sitting inside The First Baptist Church. The church was without a pastor and the man “filling” the pulpit that day was Brother Jordan, an Ada meat salesman for Wickham Packing Plant. Since no one else had invited Brother Jordan home for the Sunday meal my dad asked him, his wife and their four children to eat with us. They did. They ate a lot as dad sneaked over and turned on his radio for the noon news. Dad was a news junkie.

While the Jordan’s continued attacking our platters of fried chicken, dad discovered that the Japs had attacked Pearl Harbor. Dad excused himself and I followed him as he quickly adjourned to the old rock gas station on the corner where a crowd had gathered to listen to the attack news.

Meanwhile over in Allen, church had also ended. The Commander of the local National Guard, Lt. Otho Butler had attended the Baptist church that morning and soon learned of the attack. As soon as he could Lt. Butler loaded up and drove back to the Texas base where the Allen contingent had been training. The Allen guard was eventually sent overseas where Lt. Butler earned a Silver Star on a hillside in Sicily - a place where a German machine-gun nest had halted Gen. Patton’s advance.*

Patton ordered the obstruction be neutralized and Company Commander Otho Butler fearlessly led his men up the hill and they took out the pillbox. Butler paid with his life. Lt. Butler was shot dead. Later his business, Central Drug Store in Allen was sold, and Allen was left without its well-liked pharmacist. Lola Dell and her little girl lived in Allen the rest of Lola’s life. Lola Dell worked at the Farmer’s State Bank. And, oh yeah, played the piano for the church. I don’t know what happened to Otho’s little girl, but I know they named section of State HWY-1 between Ada and Calvin after this hero.

Meanwhile, back in D.C., on that date Franklin Roosevelt was doing all he could to provide immediate security to public buildings. The Army stationed a company of soldiers around the White House, armed with old and loaded WWI era Springfield Rifles. Roosevelt’s secret service hung a gas mask on the back of his wheelchair. America was at war and invasion fever was sweeping the land. The invading Japs were supposedly everywhere, so it was reported. Everyone was scared.

That afternoon in the State of Washington, Puget Sound farmers patrolled their beaches with hunting rifles and pitchforks. An airplane was made ready near the White House in case the president had to be evacuated. Henrietta Nesbitt, White House housekeeper, worked late that day measuring all the windows of the White House’s 60 rooms and 20 baths for black-out curtains. It was a day to remember and tomorrow was when President Roosevelt would go before both houses of the Congress and ask them to declare war on the Empire of Japan. It was a whole new world for America, and for the world.

Places like Centrahoma and Allen would never be the same either. For America, they say it was our finest hour. It was a time of greatness, sacrifice, and history. Winston Churchill later told Congress that he wanted America to fight together with England, “in majesty, in justice and in peace.” It was, indeed, a time that defined us as the greatest country in the th world and December 7 would forever be “Pearl Harbor Day” in America. I know I will never forget that day. And for sure, I’ll always be a proud American on this, another Pearl Harbor Day.

Be sure and go to Church this Sunday.

Wayne Bullard, DPh

waynebullard@sbcglobal.net

*Information gained from AK Kimbrough who was manager of Butler’s Drug Store during this time.