By DEBORAH HORN
Leader staff writer
To most World War II movie fans “Tora! Tora! Tora!” is a must-see and is considered the most accurate retelling of the Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Today is the 75th anniversary of that attack.
“Military buffs like that it doesn’t have romance. It’s a war movie, and it’s truly historically correct,” says DannaKay Duggar, Jacksonville Museum of Military History director.
Now, local movie buffs, or anyone interested, have an opportunity to see the 1970 Japanese-American film in its entirety at the military museum’s theater. The museum is located at 100 Veterans Circle.
Before the movie is shown at 1 p.m. Sunday, Duggar says the staff is serving a light lunch.
The plan was to make it easy for Sunday churchgoers who might have to skip their noon meal in order to make the movie. They have also planned an intermission because the movie is two hours and 25 minutes long.
While the military museum isn’t charging for admission, she says they are accepting cash donations, which in turn will be used to support their operation.
Seating is limited to 75, and “we need to know how much to order for lunch,” Duggar says.
So, anyone interested in attending needs to RSVP by Friday morning by calling 501-241-1943 or emailing jaxmilmuseum@gmail.com.
In addition to the movie, there are a number of other activities scheduled around central Arkansas in observance of the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, which can be found on the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum website, www.aimmuseum.org/schedule-of-events/.
ACADEMY AWARDS
“Tora! Tora! Tora!” was nominated for five Academy Awards, including for best art direction, best cinematography, best film editing and best sound, and it won for best special effects.
It was directed by Richard Fleischer, Toshio Masuda and Kinji Fukasaku and stars Martin Balsam, Joseph Cotton, Sô Yamamura, E.G. Marshall, James Whitmore and Jason Robards.
In addition to the actual early morning bombing of Pearl Harbor, the directors looked at the actions leading up to that moment, including the United States’ trade embargo of Japan, which influenced the island nation’s rushed decision to side with Germany, escalating political tensions between the U.S. and Japan.
The movie also looks at the U.S. military’s strategic mistakes, such as docking of ships at Pearl Harbor and parking planes on the runway instead of under cover — these made America’s military resources vulnerable to attack.
The movie illustrates how the attack, which killed about 2,500 people, was planned for months.
COLLECTON DRIVE
For some, the Major Jacob Gray Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution’s annual holiday collection drive is about giving but for many of our military veterans, its greatly needed, says Duggar.
So once again, the military museum staff is stepping up and collecting new items that will be donated to Community Living Center units’ patients at Fort Roots VA Hospital.
The units include the Dementia Care, Geriatric Specialty, sub-acute, respite and short- and long-term care units, she says.
The patients need clothing, including white and colored, long- and short-sleeved T-shirts, sizes large through XXX large; sweatpants and shirts, sizes medium through 3X; men’s and women’s underwear, sizes medium through XX large; men’s tennis shoes, sizes 9 through 14; and men’s shoes, women’s shoes, non-slip shower shoes, flip flops and house shoes, men’s sizes 11 through 14 and women’s sizes 5 through 10.
Personal care items are also needed, including shampoo, body wash, deodorant, hair oil, hair spray, toothbrushes, holders, toothpaste, denture adhesive, soap dishes and single-edge razors. Most products are needed for men and women.
Other needed items are liquid laundry soap, high-efficiency detergent, magnifying glasses, reading glasses 1 though 2.5, pocket calculators, sugar free candy, large-print puzzle books, gift cards, lap and full-length Americana service blankets, and craft items for men and women, such as models, and leather and needlecraft supplies.
“We also accept cash donations,” but the checks need to be made out to CVAHS Voluntary Services, designated to the Community Living Center, Duggar says.
For anyone interested in making a donation, Duggar says they will be accepting items or cash until Friday, Dec. 30.
Volunteers are also needed at Fort Roots. For a list of opportunities, call 501-257-3288.
