Remembering from 1A
“We had two crews out in
the open, one that was finish-
ing up and one that was com-
ing on duty,” Tait said. “So
there were plenty of targets to
shoot at.”
Tait and his mates were
actually the first Americans to
come under attack on the “Day
that will live in infamy.”
“We were hit before Pearl
Let Your
Holiday
Shine
Bright!
Harbor,” explained Tait. “I was
stationed at Naval Air Station
Kaneohe Bay, which is across
the bay from Pearl Harbor. We
saw the fighters coming down
and straffing our planes...”
After a thoughtful pause,
Join us this season to
brighten our holiday
tree and menorah
with inscribed stars
in memory or honor
of someone special.
Light Up a Life
Saturday, December 10
2 – 3:30 p.m.
Florence Events Center
Free admission. Refreshments served.
Bring friends and family.
For more information, call
Peace Harbor Hospice at 541-997-3418.
Tait continued, “I had charge
of wing ordinance, so I went to
the gun cabinet and thought if
I was going shoot at airplanes,
I better get one of those
B.A.R.s — a Browning
Automatic Rifle. It was the
same caliber as the machine
guns on the airplanes.”
Tait remembers continuing
to shoot at the incoming air-
planes as a second wave of
fighters flew low enough for
him to take aim and fire hun-
dreds of rounds.
“We were running low on
MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
ammunition, but in the mean-
time the Marines had come Veteran Alan Tait got the chance to view Oregon Coast
through and they left us plenty Military Museum’s World War II display this week.
of ammo so we could keep crashed into the hillside across that day 75 years ago, the Taits
the way.”
said they hold no ill will
shooting,” he said.
The young service man towards their one-time ene-
After the initial fighter
attacks, bombers followed and wrote a letter the next day to mies, even hosting a Japanese
laid waste to the ships in the his girlfriend, Barbara, who student in their home.
“I don’t have any problems
bay. Tait recalls the chaos that was stateside, sharing his
experiences. They eventually with the Japanese people.
ensued.
“Then they started doing married in 1947 and, in a few They are some of the smartest
crazy things,” he said. “They months, will celebrate their and nicest folks I’ve ever
met,” said Tait. “It was their
sent a wave of bombers next 70th anniversary.
The couple has made sever- leaders I didn’t like.”
that started dive bombing the
In 1976, while celebrating
ships and there were a lot of al trips back to Hawaii to visit
the Pearl Harbor Memorial and America’s 200th anniversary,
casualties.”
The battle at Pearl Harbor other military shrines over the the Taits played host to a
was a major military success years. However, their most Japanese girl named Tamiko.
“She stayed at our house
for the Japanese. Five of eight memorable trip may be one
with our daughters for a week
battleships, three destroyers they took in 2014.
“We got to take an honor or two,” said Tait. “She wasn’t
and seven other American
ships were sunk or severely flight to Washington, D.C., exactly like an exchange stu-
damaged. American casualties together, which is unusual dent because she didn’t go to
were significant, with 2,400 because most wives don’t school. It was more of a cul-
qualify,” said Tait. “But tural exchange.”
killed and 1,200 wounded.
The couple corresponded
By comparison, Japanese Barbara did because of her
forces lost less that 100 sol- work with the nurse corps, with Tamiko for a long while
after the visit.
diers and suffered the loss of starting in 1947.”
The couple enjoyed their
“She got married and had
only 30 planes.
two kids, so that was good,”
Miraculously, Tait suffered honor flight weekend.
“It was quite a deal. We got Tait said.
only minor injuries during the
When asked to share the
confrontation and was respon- to see all the memorials from
sible for shooting down a all the wars,” he said. “That reasons for their many years of
marriage, their good fortune
fighter plane with a rifle. It’s makes you think a lot.”
“Oh, but we had a good during the war and and their
an impressive accomplishment
time, it was a very nice trip,” good health, the couple —
that he discounts.
“I was lucky to get a good Barbara added with a hint of a now in their 90s — looked at
line of sight on him,” he said. smile. “It was something we each other briefly before
answering in unison, “Just
“I pulled that trigger, his were real lucky to get to do.”
Despite the experience of lucky, I guess.”
engine started smoking and he
Lawsuit
peacehealth.org
11 A
from 1A
home as well as a nearby
home that was unoccupied at
the time. Miller’s body and
that of one of her dogs was
later recovered.
Miller’s husband, who had
placed the 911 call, escaped
with only minor injuries.
Last week, Miller’s sons
Stephen Miller and Keith
Eldein filed a $9.7 million
wrongful death lawsuit in Lane
County Circuit Court alleging
that negligence by both the
Heceta Water People’s Utility
District
(HWPUD)
and
William and Gail Munzer —
owners of the other property
that was damaged — con-
tributed to Miller’s death.
The suit blames the water
district for improper mainte-
nance of a water line that runs
beneath a road near the home,
which is part of an easement
with the district.
Miller’s sons believe leakage
in the water line contributed to
the failure of the hillside.
The suit also claims that the
Munzers failed to maintain a
series of drainage ditches and
other forms of erosion preven-
tion for several years prior to
the landslide.
HWPUD general manager
Carl Neville said he had no
statement at this time.
The Munzers couldn’t be
reached for comment.
Let me Showcase your property.
Richard Beaudro
Principal Broker
541 991-6677
2126 11th Street – Established duplex in great lo-
cation, close to shopping, services and old town.
Two, 2 bdrm 1 bath, two story units with detached
garage/carport area with driveway. Heavily
wooded lot provides good privacy. Seller prefers
owner financing. $255,000. #2561-16304216
1749 Highway 101 • 541-997-1200
Health Care Town Hall
Join us for the second in a series of town hall
events addressing our community’s health care,
the national provider shortage and how Team
Medicine is improving access to care.
Friday, Dec. 9
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Florence Events Center
715 Quince St., Florence, OR 97439
GOT QUESTIONS?
Come to the town hall for an
opportunity to ask your questions
in person. Or, share your questions
in advance of the event:
facebook.com/peaceharbor
SOFT
TOUCH
HAIR
DESIGN
Bring in this ad to receive
10% off all services!
(offer good thru January 31,2017)
Please call to schedule your
appointment now!
NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.
We are open
Tues, Wed and Thursday,
9am - 3:00 pm
Visit us online for the latest
information about the event and
PeaceHealth’s provider recruiting
efforts.
Friday and Saturday
(appointment only days).
Always welcoming
new clients!
peacehealth.org/WeCare
Thanks to our partner, the City of Florence, for working with us to host this event.
Happy Holiday’s
and Best Wishes
for the New Year!
Ginger Cole,
Owner
Soft Touch Hair Design by Ginger
968 Nopal Street, Florence
541-997-9123
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SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016