Veterans commemorate Pearl Harbor

YOUNGSTOWN — John E. Malys was just 12 years old the day Pearl Harbor was bombed by Japanese forces, too young to truly appreciate the magnitude of that infamous day.

“I remember hearing it on the radio, but I was too young to understand,” said Malys, now 77 and commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1423. “I just remember wondering, ‘What’s Pearl Harbor?’ But my mother was worried. She knew her sons would have to go.”

Indeed, when the United States entered into World War II, four of Malys’ brothers went off to battle. They all survived, but one was seriously wounded.

“That was a terrible day,” Malys said of Dec. 7, 1941. “We can’t forget it.”

That’s why Malys and some two dozen other local military veterans were at St. Christine Church on South Schenley Avenue Sunday morning for an annual Mass to remember what happened at Pearl Harbor.

Read the full story in Monday’s Vindicator and on vindy.com