Survivors and their shipmates are honored for their courage and sacrifices as they repelled the Japanese attack.
Geb Galle admits he didn’t go to church on Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, but says he “thinks he served a good purpose.”
As Japanese pilots started dropping bombs, Galle headed down three decks to his battle station to help get steam to the engine room. That was a critical step in helping launch Nevada past the other battleships, saving countless lives in the process.
“When something like that happens, you have no idea what’s going to happen next,” remembered Galle, as he spoke Thursday, 75 years and one day after the attack.
At the site where the Nevada intentionally ran aground in the harbor, shipmates Galle, Dick Ramsey, Cliff Burks and Ansel Tupper were honored along with those killed in the attack. It marked the first time in seven years that a ceremony was held to commemorate the actions of the USS Nevada crew during the attack.
“Seventy-six sailors and Marines lost their lives due to the wounds that they sustained as a result of the attack,” said Commander Tom Gorey, chief staff officer of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. “Today we honor those servicemembers and their sacrifices.”
Retired Rear Adm. Samuel Cox, the director of the Naval History and Heritage Command, said the Navy’s “core values are honor, courage and commitment. And we stress other attributes like intelligence, integrity and toughness.”
The Nevada crew “showed the world what those words truly mean,” Cox said, adding that the Japanese commanders were surprised by the amount of firepower the United States was able to muster, notably from the Nevada.
With the ship damaged and taking on water, its junior officers and crew took charge because the senior officers happened to be ashore.
“This battle was a disaster,” Cox said. “It was a defeat. But in keeping the fuel farm and the repair facility from being hit, those played a critical role in the U.S. victory in the rest of World War II. And had those been hit, the war would have been much longer and costlier. And the crew of the Nevada deserves a large share of the credit for that. They played a role in the United States victory in World War II.”
Nevada went on to fight on in World War II, becoming the only battleship present at both Pearl Harbor and the Normandy invasion.
In the 75 years since the attack, Galle has forgiven the Japanese.
“You can carry a hatred for something like that all your life,” Galle said. “You have to remember that they had a leader who led them astray. If you get the wrong leader, what can you say? If your leader leads you astray, you have consequences. We’re at peace now (with Japan), and I feel comfortable. I have no qualms. We’re all good people.”
- Honor & Remembrance