SURVIVORS STILL RECALL THE HELLISH REALITY.

Byline: Mariel Garza Staff Writer

SHERMAN OAKS - Ray Kuhlow was asleep aboard the battleship USS California, docked in Pearl Harbor during the early morning hours of Dec. 7, 1941, when the first torpedo hit his ship.

By the time the second torpedo struck, he was far below deck, trapped in the dark as water seeped in through a hole blown in the hull, with Kuhlow wondering whether he would make it out alive.

Kuhlow, now 79, survived the day, but nearly 2,400 other servicemen did not. And the memory of the vets - both living and dead - brought Kuhlow and other Pearl Harbor survivors to a memorial service Friday in Veterans Memorial Park to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the infamous attack on American soil.

``Today is a time of deep reflection,'' said Larry Horner, a representative of Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Woodland Hills, who presented event organizers from American Legion Post 193 with a flag that had flown over the Capitol. ``Both past and current military service people who made the ultimate sacrifice can never be thanked enough.''

The event drew other World War II vets who came to show respect for their fellow vets and swap war stories, like Joseph Pietoforte from Sherman Oaks, who served in Germany under Gen. George Patton, and Keith Terrill of Camarillo, who survived the Battle of the Bulge.

But the stars of the day were the men from Pearl Harbor Survivors Chapter 12 who came to share their stories.

Kuhlow remembers that when he finally escaped from the waterlogged bottom of the damaged and sinking battleship 4 1/2 hours after the first torpedo, he emerged with his shipmates into a hellish reality that he said he'll never forget.

``We saw all the destruction,'' Kuhlow said, ``the burning water on the harbor, the (USS) Oklahoma rolled over and the battleship Arizona exploded, the bodies everywhere.''

``That was a scary thing,'' said Joseph Ceo, 81, from Canyon Country, who served on the USS Aylwin, a destroyer that escaped the bombing. ``We just couldn't believe it had happened. We just looked around at each other dumbfounded.''

Frank Ford, 80, from West Hills was in the Army and stationed at Schofield Barracks when the Japanese planes started strafing and bombing.

He also had been sleeping when the attack began, and quickly jumped out of bed and into some clothes. He drew his pistol and headed outside only to find a huge crowd around the ammunition supply.

``It's a laugher now - they wouldn't issue us ammunition,'' Ford said. ``The rule at the time was that they would not issue ammunition until an officer OK'd it. But there were no officers around.''

An officer eventually showed up to issue ammunition and Ford made it to his post, a radio station.

During the memorial service, many people compared the events of Pearl Harbor with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the East Coast. That makes it all the more important to take time to reflect on this important time in history, said event organizer Bob Myers.

``People forget,'' Myers said. ``It's like Pearl Harbor woke up the country in 1941. Nine-11 woke up the country again.''

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At the Veterans Memorial Park in Sherman Oaks, American Legion Post 193 holds a ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The event drew other World War II veterans as well, who came to share war stories.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer