Hurleyville, NY – National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, December 7th, commemorates the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Many American servicemen and women lost their lives or were wounded on that date in 1941.
On Friday, December 7, 2018, at 12:30 p.m., Sullivan County Historian John Conway will delve into that history at the Sullivan County Museum in Hurleyville.
Conway has been the County Historian since 1993. He was born and raised in Monticello, New York, and has been in the vanguard of the movement to chronicle and preserve local history for more than 20 years.
He is an adjunct professor at SUNY Sullivan and is a contributing editor for the Encyclopedia of New York State. He has written dozens of magazine articles and four books, three for Purple Mountain Press. He has also appeared on the Fox television series “Million Dollar Mysteries,” talking about gangster Dutch Schultz and his lost Catskills’ treasure, and on the BBC documentary, “Stand Up America,” discussing the role of the Borscht Belt on American comedy.
The Dec. 7 talk will focus on the immediate impact of the attack on the residents of Sullivan County. According to Professor Conway, “many people did not know that within hours of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, which incidentally killed a member of the Liberty High School Class of 1939, Sullivan County had swung into high gear in mobilizing its machinery of defense. Guards were stationed at firehouses and along the railroad, air wardens were appointed, and there were less obvious measures designed to deal with ‘fifth column’ activities. This program features a quick look at the immediate local aftermath of ‘the day that will live in infamy.’”
The event is presented by the Sullivan County Historical Society and is co-sponsored by the Beaverkill Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
The Museum is located at 265 Main Street, Hurleyville. For more information, call 845-434-8044 or visit www.scnyhistory.org.