SONESTOWN, Pa. — December 7th, 1941 will always be remembered as the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Imperial Japanese Navy surprise attacked the American naval base in Hawaii.
"It was an early morning, and everyone was just getting around, and the planes came in, and they strafed a lot of the ships and aircraft, and they dropped torpedoes. It was just havoc," said Jack Craft, war historian.
Jack Craft owns and operates the Endless Mountains Museum and War Memorial in Sullivan County. His museum includes artifacts from nearly every major American involved war in the past century. Craft has collected these items for the past 40 years.
"I started going to auctions and things and just buying the history because I read about it in grade school and met some WWII veterans, and they really got me interested," said Craft.
More than 2,000 Americans died in the attacks on Pearl Harbor. Nearly 20 Naval ships were damaged or destroyed. That includes the USS Arizona. Craft has one of the American flags that was included in the ship's memorial.
"Yeah, it was flown over the Arizona memorial back in 1988 for one day. Then they take the flag down and present it to certain people," said Craft.
The display also includes uniforms, weapons, letters, newspapers, and much more from the attack. He collects to help memorialize the lives that were lost and the sacrifices that were made.
"The younger generation needs to realize what the sacrifice was and why we are able to enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy today," said Craft.
The Endless Mountains Museum and War Memorial is open seven days a week by appointment only, and it is free to the public.
To make an appointment, call (570)-482-2610 or email craftj@epix.net.
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