Remember Arizona and check facts
In the Dec. 7 editorial “Pearl Harbor Day — Don’t Forget the Utah,” there was major factual error. Having a B.A. in history, I was confused by the first two paragraphs and had to read them several times to make sure it was not my age confusing me.
Blame Scripps-Howard News Service (the source of the editorial) — or poor editors down the chain. Although the USS Oklahoma was sunk at Pearl Harbor, it was not the ship that lost 1,177 crew nor does she have a sheltered white canopy memorial.
(She was sunk by Japanese bombs and torpedoes on Dec. 7, 1941, in the attack on Pearl Harbor, taking 429 of her crew with her as she capsized. She was uprighted in 1943, but unlike most of the other battleships damaged in the Pearl Harbor attack, she was never repaired and returned to duty. Instead, Oklahoma was stripped of her guns and superstructure and sold for scrap. She sank while under tow to the mainland in 1947.)
During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, Arizona was bombed. She exploded and sank, killing 1,177 officers and crewmen. Unlike many of the other ships sunk or damaged that day, Arizona could not be fully salvaged, though the Navy removed parts of the ship for reuse.
The wreck still lies at the bottom of Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial, dedicated on May 30, 1962, to all those who died during the attack, straddles the ship’s hull.
— Gregory Hulse
Rockwell
Editor’s note: Your history is correct, and the editorial was wrong. Although Scripps-Howard did move a corrected version of the editorial, we did not see it until after the Dec. 7 editorial page had been printed.
Shop at Habitat
Please consider the Habitat ReStore as you shop for your holiday gifts.
Located at 1707 S. Main St., the ReStore is a main source of the funds needed to build Habitat for Humanity homes in Rowan County.
When you shop at the ReStore, the money you spend is used here in Rowan County to help families in need of simple, decent housing.
Right now the ReStore has a great selection of high quality Christmas cards, lots of new and used ornaments, brand new Ashley Furniture sofas and a huge selection of used furniture, appliances, construction items and house wares.
We are even selling fresh-cut Fraser fir Christmas trees from the North Carolina mountains.
In addition to merchandise for sale, we also sell Holiday Honor Cards. Each card is just $5 and lets your recipient know that a gift has been made in their honor to Habitat for Humanity.
Since Habitat for Humanity was founded in Rowan County, we have built 88 homes. We invite you to fill out an application for a home if you are in need of housing.
Merry Christmas from the staff and volunteers at the Habitat ReStore!
— Elizabeth Brady
Salisbury
Brady is director of store operations for Habitat ReStore.