Where Are You Today?: Mal Middlesworth Remembers Pearl Harbor

Mal Middlesworth is a survivor of the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. He was an 18 year old with the Marine Detachment on the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco that morning. Years later Mal vividly remembers the scene and he is dedicated to ensuring our future generations also remember. Mal currently resides in California and is the past president of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. Mal agreed to speak to me recently and here are highlights from our recent conversation.

April: Where did you grow up?
Mal: I was born in Cowden, Illinois and moved to Elgin, Illinois when I was two years old. I lived in Illinois until I enlisted in the Marines.

April: What are you working on these days?
Mal: I am the past National President of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association and currently editor of the Pearl Harbor Survivor Association Gram.

April: In your opinion, why is it important to keep the history and stories of Pearl Harbor alive?
Mal: He who forgets the mistakes of the past is likely to make them again. Pearl Harbor was crisis. Pearl Harbor survivors concentrate on giving presentations to students at high schools. Today’s high school students don’t know anything about Pearl Harbor. They read 1/4 page in their history books and they have no concept of the times in which we have lived. The attack on Pearl Harbor is one of the most significant events of the 20th century.

April: Do you compare the Pearl Harbor attack to the September 11th attack?

Mal: They were both sneak attacks on American soil. It was a different type of war than we have today. We were not prepared for either one of these attacks.

April: Tell me about your experiences returning from the duty. How did Americans receive you?
Mal: We all were well received by the people when we returned home. They were grateful for our service and still are today. In the Palm Spring Veterans Day Parade, the Pearl Harbor survivor’s ride in antique cars, fire engines, trucks, etc. and always get the biggest applause of all the entries in the parade. The applause are experienced in all parades, memorial services, etc.

April: Do you feel that you currently get the proper respect and recognition from today’s younger generation?
Mal: The younger generation is busy with their iPods and their computers. When Pearl Harbor survivors set up a booth at air shows we will put down a map of Pearl Harbor. People want to know specifically where each of us was during the attack – as individuals.

Normally the first thing they ask us is where was your ship – and we use the map of Pearl Harbor to show them the location of the ship we were stationed on. If you were not in the harbor itself (Army, Army Air Corps, Marine base, military installation on the Island of Oahu) we use a second map to show the entire island.

They realize we are as rare as dodo birds. The Smithsonian is currently doing audio and video history recording. There is much interest in World War II and in Pearl Harbor survivors. Some of the 10 year olds I meet know more about Pearl Harbor than I do. Their families have brought their children up to recognize our service during those years.

The Pearl Harbor survivor slogan is “Remember Pearl Harbor. Keep America alert.”

April: While serving in the military, what prejudices did you see?
Mal: During my service I experienced a transformation, mostly due to Eleanor Roosevelt. When I enlisted, there were no Blacks and few Latinos in the military. In 1943 I was transferred to a Marine Base in Southern California and saw women Marines for the first time.

Near the end of the war, (1945) we had an all Black company of Marines in our Battalion. Many Marines from the South thought we would have a race war. This was the first non-White Marine I had ever seen. Many were college graduates. I still found animosity during and after the war. I traveled extensively in the South and was amazed at the prejudices I saw.

At the end of the war I earned a college degree and I’ve been in the media business ever since as a writer and even had my own film company. In my last job I was Vice President of productions at of one of the largest media companies in the country. I would not have been as successful in my business or my life without my service in the Marine Corp.

April: Are members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association military or civilian?
Mal: The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Inc. is a 501c non-profit corporation chartered by Congress. When there are no Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Inc. members, the national charter will no longer be legal. The charter and organization will no longer exist unlike the VFW, American Legion, Marine Corps League, etc. So we are a very unique military organization. Only military members who were on active duty at 7:55 AM on December 7, 1941 and on the island of Oahu or within three miles of shore are eligible to join.

April: Have you developed lifelong bonds with others who shared your experiences that day?
Mal: I have been a member of the Pearl Harbor survivors association for 10 years and very active in my local chapter. Some of my closest friends are Pearl Harbor survivors. In fact, I have more Pearl Harbor survivor friends than family friends here. It’s a very unique bond between us. I went to Hawaii before I joined the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. I usually go back every other year. Next year the National Convention will be held there. I have many friends who work at the Arizona Memorial. Our group now works closely with the Arizona Memorial Museum Association (AMMA) and the National Park Service. The AMMA partnership will carry on the activities of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association when we are no longer able to.

April: When you return to Hawaii, what activities are a “don’t miss” for you?

Mal: For me it’s the tour in the late afternoon on the new boats. They take us around the whole harbor and they stop near where the ship was. Also, a visit to the other memorials like the USS Oklahoma which is a new exhibit. There are pylons, which represent each person who perished on the boat.

—   This story submitted by April M. Williams, a travel blogger based in Algonquin. At April’s “Where Are You Today?” site, she blogs about off the beaten path travel and places in McHenry County, Honolulu and beyond.