The Pittsburgh Press (February 23, 1946)
Editorial: Remember Pearl Harbor
“Forget it,” said an Air Force lieutenant when Sgt. George Elliott reported radar contact with a group of planes which turned out to be the Japanese force that crippled Pearl Harbor.
If those words had not been uttered, the history of World War II might have been changed. Our planes might have been able to beat off the Jap attack. Certainly, more of the Pacific Fleet would have been saved. The heroes on Bataan might have been reinforced or rescued. We might have been able to take the offensive in the Pacific earlier than we did.
We’ll never know what might have happened, but the incident should be a lesson to all of us. “Forget it” or “Why bother?” or “To hell with it” are used all too frequently to dispose of troublesome little problems.
One never knows when one of these little problems will turn out to be something big. When tempted to let something slide, we should remember Pearl Harbor.