When Tom Dutch first arrived in Pearl Harbor, there was no memorial, nor tourists or a souvenir shop. When the World War II veteran first arrived - about 60 years ago - the only thing in those sorrowful waves was the reality of war.
As part of the U.S. Navy's 6th Fleet in 1944, Dutch would spend the next two years battling the Japanese at Okinawa and the Philippines, trying to maintain his composure in a world exploding around him.
"When I look back on it now, I realize that I was almost on the breaking point - both mentally and physically," Dutch said.
On Sunday - Pearl Harbor Day - Dutch will be featured as one of six East Lansing World War II veterans in a film showing at the Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbott Road as part of a remembrance ceremony.
The event, titled "Let's Remember" also will feature Dutch's son-in-law, a guest speaker and East Lansing native, Brigadier General Bob Neller, USMC. Neller will be flown in from Washington D.C., where he works at the Pentagon.
Dutch was born and raised in Monongahela, Pa., a town better known for producing NFL quarterback Joe Montana. Dutch, the son of an illiterate coal miner, followed in his older brothers' footsteps, being the fourth Dutch boy to join the military.
When he was making the decision about which branch of the military to sign up with, he listened to the wise words of his mother.
"It was her understanding that people in the Navy ate better," he said, laughingly. "I took her advice and that's where I went."
In a few months, Dutch was serving as quartermaster, second-class on a landing craft infantry rocket boat in the Pacific. As a quartermaster in the Navy, Dutch's duties included navigating and steering his vessel and using Morse Code. His ship approached islands and shot their beaches with rockets in order to clear the way for infantry troops.
Life on the ship wasn't easy, Dutch said. The constant threat of Japanese kamikaze fighter pilots always was in the back of his mind, he said.
"I still have nightmares about the kamikazes," he said. "We lived in mortal fear, but we were fortunate."
Despite facing many battles, nobody on Dutch's ship was killed in the war, he said.
After the war, Dutch used the G.I. Bill toward a college degree, and then moved to East Lansing to get his master's degree in student personnel at MSU. In 1950, Dutch started MSU's student employment office. He remained at that position until he retired in 2002.
For the last three years, East Lansing City Council member Beverly Baten had an idea to do something that would honor the city's veterans.
Last year, on Dec. 7, her idea came to life with a rededication ceremony of the city's World War II memorial plaque. This year, Baten wanted to do an even bigger ceremony to honor the city's World War II veterans.
"The city has never honored anyone in the military," Baten said. "I don't know why that is."
The program, which Baten hopes will continue as an annual event, will include photographs and a video featuring the city's veterans.
A few years back, Dutch visited the Pearl Harbor memorial site for the first time during a vacation to Hawaii.
"I eventually had to sort of brainwash myself into doing it," Dutch said. "I stood there and cried for 10 minutes. It was such a relief to get this off of my chest.
"After that, I felt good."
