Remember Pearl Harbor. . . Keep America Alert! Portland, OR Chapter #1 National Chapter #2

This web site seeks to preserve the history of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 and the military members who were there on that day, so that future generations will remember their sacrifice and know the survivors' story.

Heidi's Restaurant, 1Oct99 -- Some of the Portland, OR Chapter members pose for this photo with a piece from the wing of a Japanese war plane. Standing, left to right: Bob Getschman, Warren Jones, Jim Denton, Cecil Herald, Bob Neal, Harry Niehoff, *John Bruening, Bob Baker, Al Becker Seated, left to right: Ken Garrison, Don Raymond, *Bernard DeGrave, Jim Wright. *Vancouver Chapter

written by Robert Neal, 2nd District Director

As recorded in the Feb. 2000 Gram
Recently Bob Elmer contacted National Vice President Ed Chappell telling him that he had some items stored in his home in Seattle that he would like to donate to the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.

It seems that back in 1966 Bob Elmer's father, Bill Elmer, was walking on the beach at low tide on the island of Truk when he spotted a Japanese Zero Plane beneath the surface of the water.

With the aid of a diver, he retrieved part of the plane's propeller, a cannon out of the wing and the cut-out of the red ball insignia on the wing. [seen in the photo] He brought these items back to the states and they have been stored in Bob Elmer's attic ever since.

At the recent meeting of the Executive Committee back in Rockford, Illinois, Ed Chappell brought this to the attention of Robert Neal and asked him if he would pick these items up and get them sent down to Ed's home in Arizona. When Mr. Neal visited the PHSA, Seattle Chapter's meeting on September 25, 1999 where he picked up these items and brought them to Portland, Oregon. The photograph was taken at the Portland Chapter meeting on Oct. 1, with the Chapter members proudly displaying the red ball insignia from the wing of the above mentioned plane.

All the plane parts were shipped to Ed Chappell's home and arrived safely at their destination. Then they were shipped over to Hawaii where they are part of the Arizona Memorial Museum.

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Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Portland, OR Chapter
Remember Pearl Harbor. . . Keep America Alert!