PITTSBURGH — Veterans from southwestern Pennsylvania played a major role in World War II. From shipbuilding to communications to transportation, you can get a glimpse of their contributions with a memorial on Pittsburgh’s North Shore.
Several veterans from the Pittsburgh area left Thursday for Pearl Harbor and took memories with them from 80 years ago.
“I was in Emporium, Pennsylvania, deer hunting,” said World War II veteran Robert Buckley.
The memories and emotions of Dec. 7, 1941, are never forgotten.
“I get emotional just thinking about it,” said World War II veteran Emily Drake. “There’s nothing I can say about it because I know I’ll just cry.”
Emily Drake, 96, found out about the attack after leaving a movie theater.
Drake added, “Here was the paperboys screaming. Extra. Extra. Pearl Harbor bomb.”
Drake and Buckley served in the army. A love to serve and desire to honor history persists. Because of that, they flew to Honolulu to attend ceremonies on Dec. 7 to commemorate 80 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor. They’re also bringing the memory of Lt. Louis Moslener with them.
“This guy here was from our county,” said veteran Jerry Fisher. “We believe the very first man to die in World War II.”
“It’s a tough situation to think about it,” said World War II veteran Lawrence Davis. “Some of my friends never came back. I made it, and a whole lot of the rest of us made it, too.”
“Just happy that I’m able to go over and see what’s left of what happened,” said Buckley.
The veterans are scheduled to return to Pittsburgh International Airport on Dec. 9.
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