Hiroshima 8:15 A.M. on August 6, 1945.

Built in the USA, tested in Japan.

I never do forget, what occurred 69 years ago today.

My maternal grandfather told me a few stories including the sight of the bombers being hoisted onto the deck of the U.S.S. Hornet in Alameda, while he worked there as a civilian.

From my Dad (who'll be 77 next Monday) who landed in Hawaii one month before Pearl Harbor was bombed (he was 8) and how my Grandfather was stuck in a Japanese prison camp, as a civilian, in the Philippines until Mac's troops liberated the islands.

I never do forget.

My country of Singapore, My grandparents, Endured great hardship under The Japanese Occupation...

I cannot forget, But I can forgive...

My friend Carol has some distant relations entombed on the Arizona. It is her hopes to one day visit the memorial, and see if their names are still on the roster. Strangely, I checked out a book from the local library titled "Battleship Arizona" which followed the ship's history from her launching in 1915, to her cataclysmic end in 1941. The book had lots of photos, drawings, plans and wonderful descriptions of shipboard life, as told by the Sailors who served on her. At the back of the book, the crew's names were presented, and carol refused to look at it. I guess she's saving it all for that one day trip to Hawaii.

My grandfather was there, a Navy pilot.

It's too easy to forget for a lot of people. I'm a Brit living in the US and it still gets me. Beaches in Normandy are just as haunting. May they all rest in piece.

I was the same way looking at the London areas bombed out during the war, All the new brickwork mixed between Victorian and older construction where you could see where a stick of German bombs fell.

Normandy is still #1 on must visit list, to me thats hallowed ground.

It's absolutely humbling. I went when I was 17. I'm now 27. It's one of my fondest memories. I can't remember exactly which visitor center it is, but there is a periscope type deal where you can see out to the water. When you see it from beach perspective, it's easy to see why the allied troops suffered such heavy losses.

I think that Pearl Harbor was America's first 9/11 type of tragedy. It was such a slap in the face of such a powerful country. But had it not happened, the US would have not gotten involved. In some ways, and please don't think I mean this disrespectfully, the sacrifice and loss of life resulted in the world being saved from an oppressive and terrifying regime.

That, and Hitler never having played Risk as a kid.

I spent some time today reading up on the event that occurred on that day. I still want to visit this memorial someday...

... coor. Very eerie. Not the kind of scene you'd wanna disturb.