A day never to be forgotten

A frigid fog began to rise up from the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley, dissipating with the warming sun Thursday just in time for area veterans to deliver a wreath to the Snake River in remembrance of the Pearl Harbor attack.

Seventy-six years after Japanese planes launched a surprise attack on the Hawaii naval base killing 2,403 Americans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 10043 gathered to commemorate the fallen as they have done year after year.

Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Chuck Whitman hosted the event and said in years past the ceremony has honored every branch of the military. Whitman said the notably missing group that supplied the military through all its deployments - the Merchant Marines - had been left out. He rectified that by inviting guest speaker and U.S. Merchant Marine Capt. Ron Gray.

"We tend to forget in World War II how important the Merchant Marines were in moving cargo around, and we wanted to recognize the contribution of the Merchant Marines," Whitman said.

Gray spent four years in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Vietnam. He later attended the Merchant Marine Academy, spending the next 44 years in maritime service. Before retiring, he was the captain of the Coastal and Inland Cruise Ships.

Gray told a crowd of veterans and others at the VFW hall on Warner Avenue in Lewiston of the high cost of human life wrought by World War II. He gave humble mumbles about not being a great orator prior to his speech, but by the end he stood outside the VFW hall pressing hands from fellow veterans congratulating him on the speech.

"Merchant ships faced dangers from submarines, mines, armed raiders and destroyers; aircraft kamikaze and the elements," Gray said. "Total killed estimated at 9,300; some were blown to death, some incinerated, some drowned, some froze and some starved."

The Merchant Marines suffered the highest casualty rate in WWII out of any single branch of the military, with one out of every 26 mariners dying during the conflict. The mariners were essential in delivering ammunition, supplies and food to deployed troops, especially in the Pacific theater. Mariner ships faced deadly prospects, initially without the aid of protection, while crossing Atlantic Ocean waters infested with German U-boats. Ships unloaded 1 million tons of supplies during the invasion of Okinawa.

Gray relayed many facts about the mariners, listing the number of sunk ships and supply drop numbers. He swiftly exited the stage after his speech to don his other hat for the day: coordinating the 21-gun salute that followed the ceremony.

"I hope you learned something," he said. "Thanks for listening,"

From there the hall cleared and several attendees made their way to the Snake River, where the Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office motored north of the Blue Bridge in boats loaded with veterans. The Lewiston Branch of Combat Veterans Association had one of their members gently lay a wreath made of white flowers into the cold, slow river.

Hoarfrost clung to the bridge but the dense fog burned off, fleeing for the hills in the noon sun as the boatload of veterans saluted the drifting wreath. The white ring of flowers shed some of its petals and floated quietly before eventually sinking, where it will become part of the river bed.

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Holm may be contacted at tholm@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2275. Follow him on Twitter @TomHolm4.