Pearl Harbor remembered  

Veterans, family members and guests gathered on Dec. 7 at the V.F.W. Post 1371 in Owego to remember the 82nd anniversary of the military assault on the United States at Pearl Harbor by the then Empire of Japan. 

The assault, which claimed the lives of 2,403 sailors, soldiers and civilians, and wounded more than 1,000 more along with destroying and damaging nearly 20 American ships and more than 300 airplanes, propelled our nation into World War II.

Jim Raftis Sr., Korean War veteran and Master of Ceremonies, hosted the event in the Delmar Dale Sibley Memorial Hall inside the V.F.W.

Sibley, Tioga County’s first WWII casualty, gave his life in action aboard the U.S.S. Arizona. Today, the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, and a part of the National Park Service, marks the resting place of the brave service members who gave their lives while defending our country.    

Raftis noted that Sibley’s portrait, along with several of Sibley’s medals displayed in a shadow box, had been recovered from the flooded room of the V.F.W. in 2011, and have since been used as a backdrop for ceremonies. 

Four other Tioga County servicemen, and since deceased, had survived the Pearl Harbor attack including Army Air Corp veteran Bill Kennedy, Army Sergeant Donald Stocks, Army Sergeant Richard Hopkins, and Marine Machine Gun Crewman Lester Dunham.

Raftis started the ceremony by announcing the time of the bombing, 12:55 p.m. EST. A bugle performance of the National Anthem by V.F.W. Honor Guard member Steve Palinosky followed.  

Owego Methodist Church Pastor Nancy Adams delivered the invocation and benediction. V.F.W. Commander Mack Riggs shared a brief welcome message, and V.F.W. Honor Guard member Dean Morgan remembered the life and sacrifice of Seaman Sibley.

The family of Richard “Dick” Hopkins, daughter Jody and son-in-law Bob Tatich, noted that they are proud to have been related to Dick, who was a proud member of the Pearl Harbor Survivor Association and the V.F.W. 

Hopkins, a long-time Berkshire resident, passed away in 2013.

Hopkins enlisted in 1940 and was stationed in Hawaii. He helped rescue victims at Pearl Harbor and transported them to triage. A recipient of several medals, Dick later served at Guadalcanal, and for which he received the Bronze Star.

Bob and Jody shared a whimsical story from Dick’s later years. While out driving, Dick was pulled over for running a stop sign, yet the police officer at the time opted not to issue him a ticket. The officer questioned Dick’s Pearl Harbor Survivor license plate and said something to the effect of, “How can I give you a ticket after seeing that?”

Guest speaker, U.S. Navy Commander Matt Noble, currently stationed at the Defense Contract Management Agency at Lockheed Martin in Owego, N.Y., thanked veterans for their service, and acknowledged the five individuals from Tioga County who served at Pearl Harbor. Noble honored them for standing up to serve during an extremely difficult worldwide conflict.

Noble grew up in the Rapid City, South Dakota area and was pleased to learn recently that Seaman Sibley’s early years were spent in South Dakota before moving to Tioga County.  

Commander Noble noted, “I am confident in the younger generation, too, that they will stand up and serve,” and explained that he recently addressed a group of high school students with aspirations of joining the Naval Academy, and that as many as ten of them were interested after they learned more about the commitment.

Candor resident Larry Lattin, a U.S. Navy veteran, read an eyewitness account of Henry D. Davison’s observations as the officer of the deck aboard the U.S.S. Arizona. Davison’s account of the Pearl Harbor attack is an incredibly harrowing summary of finding a way out, running through flames, and plunging in and out of deep water to rescue survivors. Lattin served as a quartermaster under Davison in later years.    

Remembered at the ceremony was Gordon Ichikawa of T&K Communications.  Raftis acknowledged Gordon’s dedicated service to Tioga County in providing sound system needs for several years at multiple veteran events. Ichikawa carried with him a wealth of knowledge; he recently passed away at age 71.         

Gordon was asked on many occasions to speak at veteran ceremonies. Most notably, he honored his mother Kiyo, who was detained upwards of four years along with other family members at internment camps during the war. 

Ichikawa’s father, Tom, a past Owego V.F.W. Commander, enlisted on Dec. 8, 1941, and was wounded in combat in Italy. He was a Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient.

Also acknowledged was V.F.W. Honor Guard member and Korean War veteran George Carrigan, who attended the ceremony on his 92nd birthday.

Concluding the ceremony, Steve Palinosky performed a bugle rendition of Taps.