The Lou Conter Story

The Lou Conter Story PDF Author: Louis A. Conter
Publisher: Wheatmark, Inc.
ISBN: 1627878602
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 231

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Book Description
The Lou Conter Story: From USS Arizona Survivor to Unsung American Hero tells the incredible story of one of the last remaining survivors of the USS Arizona. More than just a recollection of the events that transpired in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, this book also records the author's memorable experiences before and after the Day of Infamy. Conter was on the USS Arizona deck when a Japanese armor-piercing bomb hit one million pounds of gunpowder stored in the ship's hull. He helped rescue crewmen following the explosion and dove into the wreckage to recover bodies in the days after. In 1942, Conter went to flight school where he earned his wings and became a VP-11 Black Cat pilot. He helped rescue over two hundred Australian Coastwatchers stranded in northern New Guinea and was shot down twice -- once swimming with his crew while sharks circled. Conter also helped rescue over two hundred Australian shore watchers up the Sepik River in New Guinea. After World War II, he became an intelligence officer, flew combat in Korea, created the Navy's first SERE program (survival, evasion, resistance, and escape), and served as a military advisor to presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson. Lou Conter shares his Pearl Harbor experiences with high school students throughout Northern California, and he returns to the USS Arizona every December to take part in National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day activities to honor and remember the 2,403 service members and civilians who were killed during the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. In 2019, Conter was one of only three remaining crew members out of the 335 who had survived the attack on the USS Arizona. He was the only survivor able to attend the memorial event.

The Lou Conter Story

The Lou Conter Story PDF Author: Louis A. Conter
Publisher: Wheatmark, Inc.
ISBN: 1627878602
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 231

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Book Description
The Lou Conter Story: From USS Arizona Survivor to Unsung American Hero tells the incredible story of one of the last remaining survivors of the USS Arizona. More than just a recollection of the events that transpired in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, this book also records the author's memorable experiences before and after the Day of Infamy. Conter was on the USS Arizona deck when a Japanese armor-piercing bomb hit one million pounds of gunpowder stored in the ship's hull. He helped rescue crewmen following the explosion and dove into the wreckage to recover bodies in the days after. In 1942, Conter went to flight school where he earned his wings and became a VP-11 Black Cat pilot. He helped rescue over two hundred Australian Coastwatchers stranded in northern New Guinea and was shot down twice -- once swimming with his crew while sharks circled. Conter also helped rescue over two hundred Australian shore watchers up the Sepik River in New Guinea. After World War II, he became an intelligence officer, flew combat in Korea, created the Navy's first SERE program (survival, evasion, resistance, and escape), and served as a military advisor to presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson. Lou Conter shares his Pearl Harbor experiences with high school students throughout Northern California, and he returns to the USS Arizona every December to take part in National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day activities to honor and remember the 2,403 service members and civilians who were killed during the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. In 2019, Conter was one of only three remaining crew members out of the 335 who had survived the attack on the USS Arizona. He was the only survivor able to attend the memorial event.

The Lou Conter Story

The Lou Conter Story PDF Author: Chapterhouse Press
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Lou Conter was just a 20-year-old quartermaster on the morning of December 7th, 1941. In the fiery crucible of the Pearl Harbor attack, he witnessed unimaginable carnage and devastation, the USS Arizona transformed into a blazing inferno. But amidst the chaos, Lou Conter's spirit ignited. From the deck of the doomed battleship to the perilous night missions as a Black Cat pilot, from intelligence operations during the Korean War to advising presidents in the Oval Office, Conter's incredible journey is a testament to the extraordinary spirit of the "Greatest Generation." This isn't just a war story. It's an exploration of resilience, sacrifice, and the profound burden of surviving when so many others did not. Conter became the last living voice of the Arizona, dedicating his life to honoring his shipmates and ensuring Pearl Harbor would never be forgotten. His unwavering patriotism, quiet humility, and unwavering belief in service forged a legacy that extends far beyond battlefields. Dive into the remarkable life of Lou Conter, a true American hero. Witness history through his eyes, experience the triumphs and heartbreaks of war, and be inspired by a life that embodies the very best of what it means to be an American. This is a tale that ought to be remembered. Honor the memory of Pearl Harbor, the sacrifices of an entire generation, and the quiet heroism of Lou Conter. Get your copy today.

Pearl Harbor Survivors

Pearl Harbor Survivors PDF Author: Harry Spiller
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786481862
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
On December 7, 1941, Japan waged a surprise attack on the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor. It was a major victory for the Japanese Navy, which in less than two hours destroyed 188 American planes, damaged another 159, and sunk or seriously damaged 18 U.S. warships. The battleships Arizona and Oklahoma were sunk. The battleships California, West Virginia and Tennessee were badly damaged and would not rejoin the United States fleet for months. Over 2,400 American military personnel were killed and 1,178 were wounded. The Japanese lost 29 planes and pilots, five midget submarines and one large sub with their crews. Here are 24 personal accounts of servicemen who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. These accounts cover in detail the location of each man and his experience during and after the actual attack. Also included is general information about Pearl Harbor.

All the Gallant Men

All the Gallant Men PDF Author: Donald Stratton
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062645374
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 320

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Book Description
The New York Times bestselling memoir of survival and heroism at Pearl Harbor “An unforgettable story of unfathomable courage.” —Reader’s Digest In this, the first memoir by a USS Arizona sailor, Donald Stratton delivers an inspiring and unforgettable eyewitness account of the Pearl Harbor attack and his remarkable return to the fight. At 8:10 a.m. on December 7, 1941, Seaman First Class Donald Stratton was consumed by an inferno. A million pounds of explosives had detonated beneath his battle station aboard the USS Arizona, barely fifteen minutes into Japan’s surprise attack on American forces at Pearl Harbor. Near death and burned across two thirds of his body, Don, a nineteen-year-old Nebraskan who had been steeled by the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, summoned the will to haul himself hand over hand across a rope tethered to a neighboring vessel. Forty-five feet below, the harbor’s flaming, oil-slick water boiled with enemy bullets; all around him the world tore itself apart. In this extraordinary, never-before-told eyewitness account of the Pearl Harbor attack—the only memoir ever written by a survivor of the USS Arizona—ninety-four-year-old veteran Donald Stratton finally shares his unforgettable personal tale of bravery and survival on December 7, 1941, his harrowing recovery, and his inspiring determination to return to the fight. Don and four other sailors made it safely across the same line that morning, a small miracle on a day that claimed the lives of 1,177 of their Arizona shipmates—approximately half the American fatalaties at Pearl Harbor. Sent to military hospitals for a year, Don refused doctors’ advice to amputate his limbs and battled to relearn how to walk. The U.S. Navy gave him a medical discharge, believing he would never again be fit for service, but Don had unfinished business. In June 1944, he sailed back into the teeth of the Pacific War on a destroyer, destined for combat in the crucial battles of Leyte Gulf, Luzon, and Okinawa, thus earning the distinction of having been present for the opening shots and the final major battle of America’s Second World War. As the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack approaches, Don, a great-grandfather of five and one of six living survivors of the Arizona, offers an unprecedentedly intimate reflection on the tragedy that drew America into the greatest armed conflict in history. All the Gallant Men is a book for the ages, one of the most remarkable—and remarkably inspiring—memoirs of any kind to appear in recent years. *Library Journal

Brothers Down

Brothers Down PDF Author: Walter R. Borneman
Publisher: Little, Brown
ISBN: 0316438871
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 368

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Book Description
A deeply personal and never-before-told account of one of America's darkest days, from the bestselling author of The Admirals and MacArthur at War. The surprise attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 remains one of the most traumatic events in American history. America's battleship fleet was crippled, thousands of lives were lost, and the United States was propelled into a world war. Few realize that aboard the iconic, ill-fated USS Arizona were an incredible seventy-nine blood relatives. Tragically, in an era when family members serving together was an accepted, even encouraged, practice, sixty-three of the Arizona's 1,177 dead turned out to be brothers. In Brothers Down, acclaimed historian Walter R. Borneman returns to that critical week of December, masterfully guiding us on an unforgettable journey of sacrifice and heroism, all told through the lives of these brothers and their fateful experience on the Arizona. Weaving in the heartbreaking stories of the parents, wives, and sweethearts who wrote to and worried about these men, Borneman draws from a treasure trove of unpublished source material to bring to vivid life the minor decisions that became a matter of life or death when the bombs began to fall. More than just an account of familial bonds and national heartbreak, what emerges promises to define a turning point in American military history.

The Complete Story of Sadako Sasaki

The Complete Story of Sadako Sasaki PDF Author: Masahiro Sasaki
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462921698
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 116

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Book Description
**Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY) Winner** **Middle School Book of the Year-- Northern Lights Book Awards** **Skipping Stones Honor Award Winner** For the first time, middle readers can learn the complete story of the courageous girl whose life, which ended through the effects of war, inspired a worldwide call for peace. In this book, author Sue DiCicco and Sadako's older brother Masahiro tell her complete story in English for the first time--how Sadako's courage throughout her illness inspired family and friends, and how she became a symbol of all people, especially children, who suffer from the impact of war. Her life and her death carry a message: we must have a wholehearted desire for peace and be willing to work together to achieve it. Sadako Sasaki was two years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on her city of Hiroshima at the end of World War II. Ten years later, just as life was starting to feel almost normal again, this athletic and enthusiastic girl was fighting a war of a different kind. One of many children affected by the bomb, she had contracted leukemia. Patient and determined, Sadako set herself the task of folding 1000 paper cranes in the hope that her wish to be made well again would be granted. Illustrations and personal family photos give a glimpse into Sadako's life and the horrors of war. Proceeds from this book are shared equally between The Sadako Legacy NPO and The Peace Crane Project.

Descent into Darkness

Descent into Darkness PDF Author: Edward C. Raymer
Publisher: Naval Institute Press
ISBN: 1612511023
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 243

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Book Description
On December 7, 1941, as the great battleships Arizona, Oklahoma, and Utah lie paralyzed and burning in the aftermath of the Japanese ttack on Pearl Harbor, a crack team of U.S. Navy salvage divers headed by Edward C. Raymer are hurriedly flown to Oahu from the mainland. The divers have been given a Herculean task: rescue the sailors and Marines trapped below, and resurrect the pride of the Pacific fleet. Now for the first time, the chief diver of the Pearl Harbor salvage operations, Cmdr. Edward C. Raymer, USN (Ret.), tells the whole story of the desperate attempts to save crewmembers caught inside their sinking ships. Descent into Darkness is the only book available that describes the raising and salvage operations of sunken battleships following the December 7th attack. Once Raymer and his crew of divers entered the interiors of the sunken shipwrecks—attempting untested and potentially deadly diving techniques—they experienced a world of total blackness, unable to see even the faceplates of their helmets. By memorizing the ships’ blueprints and using their sense of touch, the divers groped their way hundreds of feet inside the sunken vessels to make repairs and salvage vital war material. The divers learned how to cope with such unseen dangers as falling objects, sharks, the eerie presence of floating human bodies, and the constant threat of Japanese attacks from above. ​Though many of these divers were killed or seriously injured during the wartime salvage operations, on the whole they had great success performing what seemed to be impossible jobs. Among their credits, Raymer’s crew raised the sunken battleships West Virginia, Nevada, and California. After Pearl Harbor they moved on to other crucial salvage work off Guadalcanal and the sites of other great sea battles.

The Men of the USS Arizona (BB-39)

The Men of the USS Arizona (BB-39) PDF Author: T. J. Cooper
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781490964119
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 586

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Book Description
On Sunday, December 7, 1941, shortly before 8 a.m. the men on board the USS Arizona were preparing for Sunday morning services, planning shore leave, writing letters home and visiting with shipmates. Little did they know that the day's events would forever change their lives. As the Japanese attacked, this quiet morning turned into a nightmare many would carry with them the rest of their lives. Many more would not survive the devastating attack. "General Quarters" was sounded and the men scrambled for their battle stations. Within minutes, the men were firing back at the swarm of Japanese planes. Facing, fires, black smoke, explosions and the continual strafing from the Japanese planes, these men remained at their respective battle stations. Many died instantly when a bomb went through the after deck and landed in the black powder room igniting a huge explosion and an immense fire ball that traveled throughout the ship. Faced with badly burned men wandering about on deck, those men that survived the initial explosion, heroically helped evacuate the wounded all the while dodging the bullets from the attacking planes and the fires roaring about them. By this time, the fuel oil from the ship's tanks had escaped and covered the water around the ship. This oil promptly caught fire making "abandon ship" into a treacherous deed. Many of those that jumped were caught up in the fires and fuel oil. This made it impossible to swim to safety. This book is a memorial to the men that were serving on the USS Arizona that fateful morning. Who were these men and what did they experience. This is their story.

The Last Survivor of the USS Arizona's Heroic Journey

The Last Survivor of the USS Arizona's Heroic Journey PDF Author: Deeone Press
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
"The Last Survivor of the USS Arizona's Heroic Journey: The Legacy of Lou Conter" In the extraordinary life of Lou Conter, a true American hero whose courage, resilience, and unwavering commitment to duty left an indelible mark on history. From the depths of the USS Arizona to the skies above the Pacific, Conter's journey is a testament to the human spirit's triumph over adversity. In "The Last Survivor of the USS Arizona's Heroic Journey, " you'll witness Conter's harrowing experiences during the attack on Pearl Harbor, where he bravely rescued fellow servicemen amidst the chaos and destruction. Through his eyes, you'll relive the pivotal moments that changed the course of World War II and shaped the destiny of a nation. But Conter's story doesn't end there. As a tireless advocate for remembrance, he dedicated his life to ensuring that the sacrifices of Pearl Harbor are never forgotten. Through interviews, public appearances, and advocacy work, he inspired generations to honor the memory of those who served and sacrificed on that fateful day. With gripping narrative and vivid detail, "The Last Survivor of the USS Arizona's Heroic Journey" pays tribute to Conter's enduring legacy-a legacy of courage, compassion, and unwavering dedication to service. As we reflect on his remarkable life, we are reminded of the power of one individual to make a lasting impact on the world. Join us as we celebrate the life and legacy of Lou Conter-a true American hero whose courage and resilience continue to inspire us all. "The Last Survivor of the USS Arizona's Heroic Journey" is a compelling testament to the strength of the human spirit and a powerful call to action to honor the sacrifices of the past and strive for a better future. Experience the unforgettable journey of Lou Conter in "The Last Survivor of the USS Arizona's Heroic Journey" and discover the true meaning of heroism. It's time to remember, to honor, and to never forget.

A Cruel and Shocking Act

A Cruel and Shocking Act PDF Author: Philip Shenon
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 0805094202
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 641

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Book Description
"Groundbreaking new history of the Kennedy assassination, investigative reporter and bestselling author Phil Shenon writes the ultimate inside account of what has become the most controversial murder investigation of the 20th century, the aftermath of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Based on groundbreaking research, deep reporting, and unprecedented access, the book is character driven, dialogue rich, with facts and incidents that will stun and surprise."--