For those who think for themselves, here are some questions to consider about the current situation in Cuba. First, the facts:

‱ 58,220 American soldiers died in the Vietnam War. Many still living Americans have injuries or memories of the War – including loved ones lost there.

‱ 4 Americans were killed during the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba 65 years ago.

So here is the question:

Why is Vietnam, a communist country, now officially designated as a U.S. “Most Favored Nation”, while we have had no trade with Communist Cuba and, in addition,  are currently threatening it?

Why the Republican hatred of Cuba and not that of Vietnam?

Hint: I suggest you consider the political landscape of South Florida and the power it holds over the entire country when it comes to Cuban policy.

Curt Anderson, Broomfield

Fed Chair deserves the Medal of Freedom

My recommendation for the Medal of Honor would be Chair of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell, for resisting with poise the continual efforts of the president (who originally appointed Powell) to either resign or lower interest rates for political purposes, which would negate the Federal Reserve’s independence and purpose.

Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg dismissed the grand jury subpoenas brought by the Department of Justice against Powell as meritless.  In reviewing the case, the erudite , “the president spent years essentially asking if no one would rid him of this troublesome Fed chair. He then suggested a specific line of investigation into him, which had been proposed by a political appointee with no role in law enforcement, who hinted that it could be a way to remove Powell.”

The Department of Justice then complied with the suggestion to begin a criminal inquiry.  Really, DOJ attorneys, is this what you went to law school for?  Your mothers must be so proud.

C. Greenman, Lakewood

Congress has failed to declare war since 1942

Re: “Congress looks for Trump’s exit plan,” March 22 news story

The Associated Press reports, “President Donald Trump took the United States to war without a vote of support from Congress.” I would like to remind the reporter that the last time a United States president requested a formal declaration of war . On Dec. 8th, 1941, the day after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, FDR made his “Day of Infamy” speech, and then three following declarations in 1942.

Presidents of both parties have used our military in wars without Congress’s formal war declaration  . Wars with Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War,  Afghanistan, Iraq, Grenada, Panama, Somalia, Bosnia, Libya, Syria and Yemen to name a few of the wars that presidents did not get a formal declaration of war from Congress. In fact, there have been over 200 conflicts, some with lesser authorization, but none with a war declaration.

The article makes it seem that President Trump was the first to go to war without Congressional approval, and it is very misleading. As a Vietnam veteran, I just want to set the record straight.

David Engelbert, Highlands Ranch

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“This decision did not come easily, but health concerns can no longer be ignored,” owners Beth and Dave Martin , confirming the restaurant¶¶Òőap closure.

“For nearly half a century of continuous ownership, our family has had the honor of being stewards of a place that has meant so much to so many. We were never just a restaurant; we were a gathering place, a constant, and a shared table where generations came together.”

The restaurant had been at the center of countless life milestones.

From engagements and weddings to birthdays, retirements and new births, The Pepper Pod hosted it all.

The announcement left many feeling heartbroken yet thankful, and patrons quickly took to Facebook to share their own stories.

One customer wrote, “This truly saddens me. Pepper Pod has been an icon for many, many years,” while others remembered special family dinners, their love for the restaurant¶¶Òőap biscuits and gravy, and bringing their own children.

The restaurant became known for serving bison year-round, a practice that began during the beef shortages of World War II.

Though it was later no longer kept on the menu, only under special occasions, the restaurant¶¶Òőap connection to bison was woven into its walls.

The bison heads mounted in the main dining room were not decorative imports, but relics from a herd that once grazed on the land behind the restaurant for years.

In the days leading up to its planned final full day of operation on on Monday, the restaurant was overwhelmed with visitors and community support. The Martins warned customers to expect long waits at any time of day, as foot traffic had surged by 400%.

Throughout the final full week, The Pepper Pod continued serving its breakfast, lunch and dinner specials.

Amid the bittersweet farewell, a spoon art sculpture from a flatware set, created by Beth Martin’s friend Larry McLaren and displayed outside the restaurant, was stolen, though it was later returned.

On Sunday, The Pepper Pod posted on social media again, informing customers had emptied out the restaurant¶¶Òőap remaining food over the weekend, prompting them to move up the closing date.

The restaurant also announced on its website that Smokey Jo’s Trading Post, a gift shop formerly located inside, has moved to Pastimes Collective at 100 S. Main St., in Keenesburg.

“From the bottom of our hearts — thank you for the most gorgeous, overwhelming, love-filled send-off we could have imagined. We’ll never forget it,” restaurant staff posted on Facebook.

The Pepper Pod began in 1913 as a in Hudson, built by the Peppers family.

In 1956, the restaurant moved to its current building near what is now I-76. Dave and Beth Martin purchased the Pod in 1977, according to their website.

Words spoken by Winston Churchill: “the signal for the greatest outburst of joy in the history of mankind” and “Weary and worn, impoverished but undaunted and now triumphant, we had a moment that was sublime.”  He was speaking of V-E Day in Britain, but it could have been said of Denver later in 1945 on V-J Day, August 14.

A 5-year-old boy stood on the corner of 8th Avenue & Sherman Street watching the world go mad. He lived in the corner house at 791 Sherman St., and stood between his mother and father outside along the curb. On 8th Avenue, the traffic was bumper to bumper in both directions (8th became a one-way years later) but barely moving, and car horns drowned out most conversations. The boy was mystified, and maybe even frightened a little, as the streets during those war years were rarely, if ever, busy with traffic, certainly nothing like this insanity.

Drivers and passengers were exiting their cars and shouting happily at folks in other cars. They’d shake hands, hug the girls, and drink from bottles that were being passed around.  The boy understood that somehow this was a celebration, like a super birthday party, as it seemed to fill the whole world in every direction as far as he could see. 

That boy was me!

A man approached and handed Dad a brown colored bottle. Dad took it, tipped it back and drank deeply. I must have smiled or something as the man then handed it to me. Mom suddenly was standing between us as she shouted at him, and he quickly retreated, bottle in hand. Mom was sure mad about something.

Specific details of that day fade beyond that specific, albeit brief, moment for me. I know the party went on until well after dark, as after I was put to bed, the racket and bright headlights reflecting around the pulled shades kept me awake for a while. Thinking back, I must have been quite happy because everybody was so enraptured. Eventually, I dozed off and likely had pleasant dreams of cake, balloons, and ice cream.

V-J Day was the most vivid memory I have of World War II, and I’m glad it was of such an exciting, joyful moment in our history.

Harry Puncec, Lakewood

Thoughtful, thorough work on bond package

Re: “Council OKs bond package for November ballot,” August 5 news story

This spring, I volunteered to serve on one of five subcommittees composed of community members and Denver City Council representatives evaluating potential projects for the Vibrant Denver bond. My subcommittee focused on recreation centers, libraries, and housing.

I am a high school student in Denver Public Schools. It was an honor to represent young people in important discussions about Denver’s funding priorities. We reviewed projects proposed by the city council and the public and sorted them into three tiers of importance. We considered existing infrastructure and areas of highest need. We reviewed how usable the current buildings were. We submitted our recommendations to an executive committee that determined the projects that would go in the final bond.

I have heard criticism that the process was rushed and did not sufficiently involve members of the community, but I disagree. The majority of projects in the final bond proposal were originally proposed by the public. Over six weeks, we saw what people across the city wanted. In many cases, we were able to rank their proposals highly. Projects rated in the top tier by our subcommittee were more likely to be selected by the executive committee, which suggests that our input was taken seriously. In my experience, the subcommittee meetings allowed community members a chance to share their thoughts on each project and provide their own perspectives.

This November, Denver voters should pass the . It will provide the city with much-needed improvements and no raise in taxes.

James Scott, Denver

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Saturday. Forget goats: rescue puppy yoga has all the animal goodness of that formerly trendy activity, but with the scrappy cuteness of puppies. The first of three Puppy Yoga with Soul Dog Rescue sessions starts Saturday, June 14, at Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace, bringing pups in need of adoption to the vendor-driven venue’s Sky Rink (on the south side of the building).

“Attendees can stretch, smile, and maybe even meet their new best friend when they join us on the Sky Rink … for a heartwarming one-hour yoga session led by the amazing instructors at Rise Yoga & Wellness alongside some very special furry guests from Soul Dog Rescue,” organizers wrote. Sessions will also take place July 12 and Aug. 9.

The event is 8:30-9:30 a.m. at 2501 Dallas St. in Aurora. Tickets are $10.61 per person, per session. Call 720-990-6743 or visit for more information. — John Wenzel

Juneteenth Music Festival

Sunday. Among the metro-area events celebrating the official holiday of Juneteenth (Sunday, June 19), the revival of the beloved Juneteenth Music Festival looms large. It’s held in the Five Points neighborhood despite major changes over the last year — thanks in large part to sponsor The Drop 104.7 FM — and returns Sunday, June 15, with headliner Juvenile (a free, public show) and an 11 a.m. parade along Welton Street, along with 100 vendors and lots more family-friendly programming.

It all takes place along Welton, with the main stage at 2700 Welton St. All ages and open to the public. See , schedule and get VIP tickets at — John Wenzel

Telluride Bluegrass Festival

Thursday-June 22. If you ever wanted to check out the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, 2025 could be your year — seriously! There are still four-day passes and single-day tickets available for sale, as well as some camping passes, a rarity in the fest’s recent history.

The event, coming to Telluride’s Town Park Thursday, June 19-Sunday, June 22, celebrates its 52nd year to the tune of headliners Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Greensky Bluegrass, Lake Street Dive, Sam Bush Band, Punch Brothers and more. Though many of the acts are mainstays on the lineup, a unique one is Toy Factory Project, a super-group of sorts that will perform live for the first time in the box canyon. The group was formed in honor of the late Toy Caldwell, co-founder of Marshall Tucker Band, and features one of his former bandmates plus members Marcus King Band, Blackberry Smoke and more.

Telluride Bluegrass Festival comes to Town Park, 500 E. Colorado Ave. in Telluride, June 19-22. Tickets cost $130 for single-day admission and $405 for a four-day pass. Buy tickets and find more information at . — Tiney Ricciardi

1940s Ball in Boulder

Saturday. Postwar culture gets its due again at Boulder’s 1940s Ball, which revives the spirit of America as it climbed out of World War II and into the booming 1950s. This summer, aviation-themed version — producers also put on the retro-minded White Christmas Ball — returns to Boulder Airport on Saturday, June 14.

The dress-up event includes dancing, a bevy of live performances (including a Frank Sinatra tribute with a modern version of Sinatra’s original band, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra), dancing, illusions and mentalism, vintage cars, aircraft flybys, “Happy Days” co-star Donny Most and sets, props and other themed items from aviation-themed movies.

The event is 5:45 p.m.-midnight at 3393 Airport Road in Boulder. Tickets: $101.67 via . Visit for more details. — John Wenzel

The moment has come for all Americans to re-create the selfless spirit of those that won World War II and built a great nation, and to become the new Greatest Generation. Today, we must address our lack of faith in our institutions, both private and public.

My dad’s generation grew up during the Great Depression and fought in WWII, or worked to help win it. They were low-key citizens who returned to ordinary lives. At home, there were those who produced war goods, served in government or provided moral support to overseas troops. It was the generation that gave us the unique sight of women in uniform. Many postponed their careers to fight in the war. It was the “Greatest Generation” ever because they saw their duty as the right thing to do, not to gain fame and recognition.

My dad was an ensign on the USS Pensacola for three years, three months and three days in the South Pacific.

So, what happened? When did we sacrifice solid American values and instead start wallowing in greed, power and self-centeredness? It may have been in the late 1900s, when the self-sacrifice and teamwork that helped the United States to persevere began disintegrating into greed and materialism.

The enemies today are not Japan, Italy or Germany. Instead, they are domestically produced: global warming, mass shootings, conspiracy theories, domestic terrorism, the nation’s political divide, a growing antigovernment sentiment, the high costs of higher education and health care, the misuse of technology through fake news, an economy that doesn’t work for all, the missing middle class, an appeal to authoritarianism, over $36 trillion in debt, and more.

There’s a crying need for Americans of all ages to step up and live the noble ideals that carried us through tough times – not just World War II, but also the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I, Korean War, Watergate, Vietnam War, the 9/11 attacks, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Today, there are serious enemies to our greatness: A country which teaches our kids to put forth an effort only when they can expect a big reward and to work at jobs not to earn money for college, but to spend on useless stuff. There is the birth of artificial intelligence, which will fundamentally change our country and the world.

There is apathy, a force of inertia that keeps us addicted to cell phones, social media and things devoted to our pleasures.

There is still too much anger and violence, in our schools and in our neighborhoods, in society and of course, in our hearts.

We need to usurp the “Greatest Generation” — to seize control of our future and ensure the United States’ purported prominence as the world’s most powerful nation. We must make a new commitment to public service and contributions beyond just political agendas.

We need to continue to share our unique talents overseas, offering the latest techniques in such areas as producing safe drinking water, operating farms, building schools, providing medical assistance and so much more.

On the home front, we need new volunteers to work in our schools, civic organizations and charities, and to help revitalize our communities.

We need parents to run for school boards and to help their kids with homework. We also need courageous community leaders who will help local governments manage the public’s business without fear of mean-spirited personal attacks. We need people to help tutor at-risk kids and to register new voters.

We still need all Americans to show us we still have the right stuff and that war is not the only way to prove greatness. Sacrifice, unity, hard work and humility must once again define the American character.

We’re not a broken nation but simply unfinished and always striving not to become perfect, but to become a “more perfect union” as enumerated in the preamble to the U.S. Constitution.

Memorial Day is not a relic of the past, but a living call to action — a reminder that the freedom and security we enjoy are fragile, and must be protected and cherished.

Today, “We the People” should all get to work or risk losing our 249-year experiment, thus becoming the “Worst” Generation.”

Jim Martin can be reached at jimmartinesq@gmail.com.

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U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney questioned government lawyers at a morning hearing in Denver about why she shouldn’t continue a temporary restraining order in the case of two Venezuelan men being held at an immigration detention center in Aurora.

Sweeney repeatedly cited a U.S. Supreme Court brief from early Saturday morning in which the high court temporarily under the Alien Enemies Act.

“How could I not continue the temporary restraining order?” Sweeney asked the government’s counsel. The judge said she would issue a ruling within 24 hours.

Sweeney last week approved a temporary restraining order after the sued President Donald Trump and members of his administration on behalf of two Venezuelan men, referred to only by their initials, “and others similarly situated” who have been accused of being part of the Tren de Aragua gang.

in March, proclaiming Venezuelans who are members of TdA and not lawful residents of the U.S. “are liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured and removed as Alien Enemies.” The administration has used the act to send immigrants to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador.

Tim Macdonald, the ACLU of Colorado’s legal director, said Monday morning that at least 11 Colorado residents held at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement contract detention center in Aurora have been sent to the in El Salvador.

People held in CECOT, as it’s known, are denied communication with their relatives and lawyers, Human Rights Watch last month. The Salvadoran government has described people held in CECOT as “terrorists,” and has said that they “will never leave.”

The Alien Enemies Act has been used only three other times in American history, most recently to intern Japanese-American citizens during World War II.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this month that anyone being deported under the declaration deserved a hearing in federal court first.

That led federal judges in New York and Texas to place temporary holds on deportations in those areas until Trump’s Republican administration presented a procedure for allowing such appeals.

During Monday’s hearing in Denver, the government’s lawyer, Michael Velchik, said the court lacked the authority to make a ruling in this case since immigration authorities were not trying to remove the two Venezuelan plaintiffs under the Alien Enemies Act.

“That could change at any time,” Sweeney said.

She asked the government lawyers if they could guarantee that the two individuals would never be removed under the act.

“I’m not sure it’s appropriate for the government to permanently immunize these petitioners,” Velchik said.

“The consequences here would be extremely grave if I denied the (temporary restraining order) and two days later, upon finding ‘new evidence,’ these two individuals are designated as TdA and subject to removal,” Sweeney said. “Wouldn’t the prudent thing be to continue the (temporary restraining order) and await guidance from the Supreme Court?”

Macdonald repeatedly referred to the government’s strategy as a “shell game.” Civil rights organizations are playing a game of whack-a-mole, he said. As soon as one court bars authorities from deporting immigrants under the Alien Enemies Act, he said, the government immediately ships people to a jurisdiction where there’s no order in place.

A permanent order in the Colorado case “is the only way to prevent irreparable, life-threatening harm,” Macdonald said.

Fuchigami was 11 when the U.S. Army forced him and his family from their Northern California farm and imprisoned them at the Japanese-American internment camp, also known as the Granada Relocation Center, for three years during World War II.

U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse and Sen. Michael Bennet announced his death Thursday, noting his service in the Navy and work to make Amache a national historic site.

“His grace, fortitude, and endless wisdom will leave a lasting legacy,” Neguse and Bennet said in a statement.

Fuchigami was one of more than 10,000 people imprisoned at Amache on Colorado’s Eastern Plains between 1942 and 1945 after President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s . The barracks reached a peak population of 7,310 in 1943, according to the

He and his family later , where he graduated high school and attended two years of college before enlisting in the Navy and fighting in the Korean War, according to federal officials.

Fuchigami became an educator, teaching students in grade school, high school and at universities in California, Illinois and Hawaii before retiring in 1992.

He eventually settled with his family in Evergreen and continued advocating to preserve Amache, of it becoming part of the National Parks Service. Amache was named a national historic site in 2024.

The three years Fuchigami, his parents and seven siblings were imprisoned forever changed them, he told the House Natural Resources Committee in 2021.

They lost their 20-acre fruit and vegetable farm and home in Yuba City, California. In Colorado, they endured subzero winters, 100-degree summers, blizzards and dust storms while packed into two rooms of a poorly constructed military barracks with no running water.

Both his parents suffered serious injuries and illnesses at Amache from which they never fully recovered, Fuchigami said.

“As a nation, it¶¶Òőap only by remembering these events and honoring these stories that we can learn from them,” he wrote in a letter to The Denver Post in 2021.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

Henry Schmitt, a resident of the Green Houses in Longmont, turns 100 on Christmas Day this year. On Christmas Eve, Schmitt sat beside his granddaughter in his nursing home, wearing a cozy holiday sweater.

“He’s a Christmas baby,” Novak said.

Raised in Rochester, N.Y., Schmitt joined the U.S. Navy when he was 19. He served in World War II as a radioman from 1943 to 1946.

Schmitt is deaf with dementia, which makes it hard for him to communicate. He has, however, kept an extensive catalog of his life through journal entries. Several Christmas, and birthday, celebrations are noted in his entries, including a few from his time in the Navy.

In 1944, Schmitt spent Christmas Day – his 20th birthday – in Panama.

“The escorts went up between the convoy columns to serenade the convoy ships with carols,” Schmitt wrote in his journal entry from that day.

For Novak, Schmitt is “Papa Henry.” Growing up, every Christmas doubled as an opportunity to celebrate her grandfather’s birthday.

“Papa and I have a very special bond,” Novak said. “I wouldn’t be where I am in life without him, on so many different levels.”

Schmitt¶¶Òőap mom also made it to 100, setting a family precedent for longevity. On top of good genes, Novak said community, family and friends have kept Schmitt going over the years.

“There was a good likelihood, at least, that he would be living this long,” Novak said.

This year, Schmitt will celebrate his birthday surrounded by family at his nursing home. Novak said Hover Senior Living staff are also preparing a birthday cake for the occasion.

Schmitt¶¶Òőap centennial birthday comes with bittersweet moments for his family members. Novak said the occasion is a reminder that her grandfather won’t be around forever.

“We all feel very grateful that we’ve had him in our lives for as long as we have,” Novak said. “For us, it really is the last big hurrah. It means a lot to us.”

When Novak asked her grandfather how it feels to turn 100, he told her: “It feels like turning 99.”

Schmitt has been living at the Hover Green Houses since 2022. His birthday is marked on the community calendar, letting everyone at Hover know about the centenarian.

Novak said her grandfather has come to love Colorado, especially Longmont.

“It really is a very comforting place to him,” she said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker has been hospitalized after she “sustained an injury” during an official engagement in Luxembourg, according to a spokesman.

Pelosi, 84, was in Europe with a bipartisan congressional delegation to mark the in . Her spokesman, Ian Krager, said in a statement that she is “currently receiving excellent treatment from doctors and medical professionals” and is unable to attend the remainder of events on her trip.

He did not describe the nature of her injury or give any additional details, but a person familiar with the incident said that Pelosi tripped and fell while at an event with the other members of Congress. Another person familiar with the situation said she injured her hip. The people requested anonymity to discuss the fall because they were not authorized to speak about it publicly.

Krager said that Pelosi “looks forward to returning home to the U.S. soon.”

Among the members on the trip was Rep. , R-Texas, who posted on social media that he was “praying for a speedy recovery,” for Pelosi. The two lawmakers were captured holding hands in a group photo Friday at the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg.

“I’m disappointed Speaker Emerita Pelosi won’t be able to join the rest of our delegation’s events this weekend as I know how much she looked forward to honoring our veterans,” McCaul wrote on X. “But she is strong, and I am confident she will be back on her feet in no time.”

The former leader’s fall comes two years after her husband Paul was attacked by a man with a hammer at their San Francisco home. The man, who was sentenced in October to 30 years in federal prison, broke into their home looking for Pelosi.

Pelosi, who was first elected in 1987 and served as speaker twice, from her leadership post two years ago but remained in Congress and was re-elected to represent her San Francisco district in November.

She has remained active in the two years since she left the top job, working with Democrats in private and in public and attending official events. Last summer, she was instrumental in her party’s behind the scenes push to urge President to leave the presidential ticket.

She attended the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington last weekend and was on the Senate floor Monday to attend the of her former Democratic House colleagues, of California and of New Jersey.

Earlier this week, Senate Republican Leader , 82, , spraining his wrist and cutting his face. McConnell, who is stepping down from his leadership post at the end of the year, on Thursday after experiencing some stiffness in his leg from the fall, his office said.

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — Ira “Ike” Schab, a 104-year-old survivor, was so determined to stand and salute during a remembrance ceremony honoring those killed in the Japanese bombing that thrust the U.S. into World War II some 83 years ago that he spent six weeks in physical therapy to build the strength to do so.

On Saturday, Schab gingerly rose from his wheelchair and raised his right hand, returning a salute delivered by sailors on a destroyer and a submarine passing by in the harbor. His son and a daughter supported him from either side.

“I was honored to do it. I’m glad I was capable of standing up,” he said afterward. “I’m getting old, you know.”

Schab is one of only two servicemen who lived through the attack who made it to an hosted by the U.S. Navy and National Park Service on a grass field overlooking the harbor. A third survivor had been planning to join them but had to cancel because of health issues.

The Dec. 7, 1941, bombing killed more than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. Nearly half, or 1,177, were sailors and Marines on board the USS Arizona, which sank during the battle. The remains of more than 900 Arizona crew members are still entombed on the submerged vessel.

Dozens of survivors once joined the event but their attendance has declined as survivors have aged. Today there are only 16 still living, according to a list maintained by Kathleen Farley, the California state chair of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors. Military historian J. Michael Wenger has estimated there were some 87,000 military personnel on Oahu on the day of the attack.

Schab agreed when ceremony organizers asked him earlier this year to salute on behalf of all survivors and World War II veterans.

“He’s been working hard, because this is his goal,” said his daughter Kimberlee Heinrichs, who traveled to Hawaii with Schab from their Beaverton, Oregon, home. “He wanted to be able to stand for that.”

Schab was a sailor on the USS Dobbin at the time of the attack, serving as the tuba player in the ship’s band. He had showered and put on a clean uniform when he heard the call for a fire rescue party.

He hurried topside to see Japanese planes flying overhead and the USS Utah capsizing. He quickly went back below deck to join a daisy chain of sailors feeding shells to an anti-aircraft gun topside.

Ken Stevens, 102, who served on the USS Whitney, joined Schab at the ceremony. USS Curtiss sailor Bob Fernandez, 100, was unable to come due to health issues.

Attendees observed a moment of silence at 7:54 a.m., the same time the attack began eight decades ago. F-22 jets in missing man formation flew overhead shortly after.

Fernandez, speaking in a phone interview from California, where he lives with his nephew in Lodi, recalled feeling shocked and surprised as the attack began.

“When those things go off like that, we didn’t know what’s what,” Fernandez said. “We didn’t even know we were in a war.”

Fernandez was a mess cook on the Curtiss and his job that morning was to bring sailors coffee and food as he waited tables during breakfast. Then they heard an alarm sound. Through a porthole, Fernandez saw a plane with the red ball insignia painted on Japanese aircraft fly by.

Fernandez rushed down three decks to a magazine room where he and other sailors waited for someone to unlock a door storing 5-inch (12.7-centimeter), 38-caliber shells so they could begin passing them to the ship’s guns.

He has told interviewers over the years that some of his fellow sailors were praying and crying as they heard gunfire up above.

“I felt kind of scared because I didn’t know what the hell was going on,” Fernandez said.

The ship’s guns hit a Japanese plane that crashed into one of its cranes. Shortly after, its guns hit a dive bomber that then slammed into the ship and exploded below deck, setting the hangar and main decks on fire, according to the Navy History and Heritage Command.

Fernandez’s ship, the Curtiss, lost 21 men and nearly 60 of its sailors were injured.

Many laud Pearl Harbor survivors as heroes, but Fernandez doesn’t view himself that way.

“I’m not a hero,” he said. “I’m just nothing but an ammunition passer.”

___

Associated Press journalist Terry Chea contributed from Lodi, California.