[Admiral Von Gerlach]

Thank you, he was a fine man, and a real gentleman, One of his men observed: "It didn't take and act of Congress to make him a gentleman."

My grandfather who was a career USN naval officer as well and retied one of our last Commodores also served in the same way and when they coaled ship, (this was back when the fleet was coal burining) he donned a boiler suit and heaved coal with everyone else including all of his officers and even the ships dog, his Airdale terrier whose name was Anchor.

i had a number of other relatives in the war on both sides and many of them respected their opponents...and had the greatest respect for their courage and dedication to duty. In the aftermath of that war, the world matured and entire nations became more responsible and concerned with the individual as well as with national goals. Japan went thru a tremendous metamoprhosis but kept its inner original culture and combined it with a new resolve to advance and to improve life for everyone. We in the US did as well, and i see great progress round the world, we have still things to work on but the lives of those who died in the war and at Pearl were not spent in vain, and I think they would be proud of what we have all become.