BY BILL SPADEA, Radio Host at NJ101.5 -

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the surprise attack by the Japanese on our Naval base in Pearl Harbor. It occurred to me that this particular anniversary has not received as much attention as prior anniversaries.

Perhaps it’s because there are fewer and fewer World War II survivors, maybe it’s that the schools spend more time on correcting kids speech instead of teaching the real history that helped forge our great nation. Either way, it was a pivotal event in American history.  One that galvanized a nation and drove us into a war to defeat tyranny.

For NJ students taking part in Pearl Harbor memorial, it's not just about history

My grandfather served in the United States Marine Corp. in a special radar detachment.  He was there at the Battle of Guadalcanal. Courage, sacrifice, honor, valor: these are the terms that come to mind when thinking about the wars our nation has fought and continues to fight. The brave men and women of our armed forces should be honored and remembered.

Read More: On Pearl Harbor day, we remember the meaning of 'valor' and 'sacrifice' | http://nj1015.com/on-pearl-harbor-day-we-remember-the-meaning-of-valor-and-sacrifice/?trackback=tsmclipToday marks the 75th anniversary of the surprise attack by the Japanese on our Naval base in Pearl Harbor. It occurred to me that this particular anniversary has not received as much attention as prior anniversaries.

During this particular anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, I thought it was fitting to share a story about a brave hero who died on the U.S.S. Oklahoma during the attack, sacrificing his life for his fellow sailors. His name was Father Aloysius Schmitt. He was the first Roman Catholic priest to be killed in action during the war. The story prompted a call from my friend, Congressman Chris Smith who shares in my belief that we need to do more to promote the discussion of the heroes that help keep our nation safe and secure.

This article and audio, which contains a portion of the radio exchange between Rep. Smith and Mr. Spadea on Dec. 7, 2016, can be found at:http://nj1015.com/tags/congressman-chris-smith/ & at http://nj1015.com/on-pearl-harbor-day-we-remember-the-meaning-of-valor-and-sacrifice/