NAME
DATE
PERIOD
ARTICLE OF THE WEEK #5
DIRECTIONS:
1.
2.
Read and annotate the text after each STOP sign.
Write at least at TOTAL of 4 or more, thoughtful questions/comments/notes showing
evidence of close reading in the margins and between the lines.
 “This reminds me…” What connections do you have? (text to self, text
and/or world)
 “ I think…” What are your thoughts/reactions?
 “I’m confused by…” What confuses you?
 “I think the author’s purpose was…” What was the author’s purpose for
writing this article?
Pearl Harbor survivor worries kids aren’t taught about infamous day
December 7, 2012
By Russell Lissau of the Herald Post
Pearl Harbor survivor Joe Triolo has vivid memories of the Japanese sneak attack that occurred 71 years ago today. He
remembers reaching the deck of his ship, the U.S.S. Tangier, and seeing Japanese fighter planes that were so close he
could make out the expressions on the pilots’ faces. But the 92-year-old Waukegan resident regrets that many people
these days, particularly schoolchildren, know little about the horrible event that launched the U.S. into World War II. As
the number of Pearl Harbor survivors dwindles, public memorial ceremonies are becoming more rare. So are the
classroom visits veterans like Triolo once regularly made, visits that helped teach kids about an important chapter in
American history.
“We don’t (do) that anymore,” Triolo said. “We’re not even asked anymore.”
About 40 Pearl Harbor survivors remain in northern Illinois, said Mundelein resident Rick Miller, the son of a nowdeceased Pearl Harbor survivor and a leader of a local survivor group. Nationally, the number of survivors is so low, the
Pearl Harbor Survivors Association disbanded last year. Estimates vary, ranging a year ago from less than 2,000 to more
than 7,000. The numbers reflect the decreasing population of what’s been termed the Greatest Generation. Of the 16
million Americans who served in uniform during World War II, fewer than 1.5 million remain, according to the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs. To honor the soldiers and sailors who lost their lives on Dec. 7, 1941, a ceremony for
World War II veterans and their descendants is planned for 11 a.m. today at Oakton Place, 1660 Oakton Place, Des
Plaines. Capt. Randy Lynch, the Great Lakes Naval Station’s commanding officer, will address the crowd. Triolo and
other survivors are expected to attend. More than 2,300 troops and civilians died in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Some 360
Japanese planes sunk five warships, damaged nine others and destroyed 180 aircraft.
One day later, Congress declared war on Japan.
Triolo was 21 when Pearl Harbor was attacked. His ship was a seaplane tender and wasn’t targeted by the Japanese. “They
wanted the battleships, and that’s what they got,” he recalled.
Triolo and his shipmates were lucky in that regard. The Tangier was loaded with bombs, torpedoes and ammunition, he
said.
“If we’d have gotten a bomb, we never would have stopped exploding,” he said. Decades after his own service ended,
Triolo remains a strong proponent of military readiness.
“If we want peace in this country, and if we want to keep the peace, we need to maintain our armed forces,” he said.
“They are a deterrent to war.” That, Triolo said, is the lesson of Pearl Harbor. As for teaching the actual history of the
day that shall live in infamy, Triolo said that responsibility lies with teachers. “I’m not sure it’s being taught in school,”
Triolo said. “If the kids come through school and never hear of it, it’s gone. That’s the key.”
1. What was the author’s purpose in writing this article? (Be specific)
2. Choose a synonym which best replaces the underlined word: “As the number of Pearl Harbor survivors
dwindles”
a)
b)
c)
d)
increases
gathers
decreases
spreads
3.
When the author says, a ceremony for World War II veterans and their descendants, what does he mean?
a) Gathering with family members younger than him/her
b) Gathering with fellow veterans
c) Gathering with friends
d) Gathering with his/her parents
4.
In the article, Mr. Triolo states, “ ‘If we want peace in this country, and if we want to keep the peace, we
need to maintain our armed forces,’ ” he said. “ ‘They are a deterrent to war.’ ” In your own words, explain what
a deterrent is.
5.
The article mentions that there are fewer and fewer survivors of Pearl Harbor still alive. Many ceremonies and
classroom visits have been cancelled.
 Explain why young Americans should learn and remember such important dates in history.
 What can we do in the future to be sure we honor those who made sacrifices for our freedom?