ROTARY LUNCHEON: When the Other Shoe Dropped

There was panic on the Pacific Coast: the Japanese were coming. The aftershocks of the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor were felt keenly all over America - the war in Europe had hit home, but nowhere was American life more immediately disrupted than on the West Coast, where people lived in certain fear of more Japanese attacks. After the vividness of the radio reports from Pearl Harbor, and newsreels of the London Blitz only the year before, imaginations easily ran wild.

If the Imperial Japanese War Machine had reached more than halfway across the Pacific to devastate Hawaii, it was only reasonable to assume that they could and WOULD reach the rest of the way and attack the West Coast!

Author William ("Bill") P. Yenne provides a brief look at what DID happen after Pearl Harbor when the other shoe fell on the West Coast:

• Ships were torpedoed and sunk within sight of Highway One.
• The US Army's Fort Stevens in Oregon came under Japanese cannon fire.
• Shells rained down on petroleum facilities in Santa Barbara County.
• Japanese fire bombs dropped from submarine-launched aircraft struck southern Oregon.
• The FBI hushed up the story when hundreds of balloon-borne incendiaries fell from British Columbia to Kansas and Michigan - with DEADLY effect.

Bill Yenne is the author of more than three dozen books on historical topics, as well as several novels. He has contributed to encyclopedias of both World Wars and has been featured in several documentaries which have aired on the History Channel, the National Geographic Channel, the Smithsonian Channel and ARD German Television. The Wall Street Journal notes that Yenne writes "with a cinematic vividness."

A three-course lunch will be served. The price is $45, with old tickets for lunch from the Sir Francis Drake accepted as a partial payment of $35. If you require a vegetarian, gluten free, or vegan lunch, please email President Mary.

Remote attendance via Zoom is available at no charge. Register here for Zoom attendance only

For in-person attendees: Please note that once President Mary provides the headcount to the Hotel Nikko on the Friday before our Tuesday meeting, we will be billed for that count regardless of whether you show or not. Therefore, it is important to let her know if you are unable to attend after registering, but no later than Sunday night. If you are a no-show without notifying her ahead of time, the Club will be billed the cost of the meal and will have to pass the cost down to you. We hope to not have to do this.

Proof of Vaccination and Masks Required

To maximize the health and safety of Rotarians, guests, speakers, staff at the Hotel Nikko (where we meet), and those who may potentially be in a high-risk category for complications due to COVID-19, the Rotary Club of San Francisco REQUIRES all members and guests, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a face covering mask during the meeting except while eating.

On August 12, 2021, the City and County of San Francisco placed proof of COVID-19 vaccination on patrons entering establishments where food/beverages are served. Acceptable proofs of vaccination include the CDC vaccination card, a physical or digital copy of that card, documentation from a healthcare provider, or a personal digital COVID-19 vaccination record issued by the State of California. Businesses subject to this new requirement must cross check proof of full vaccination against each patron’s photo identification. 

The Club believes that these policies are consistent with Rotary's Four-Way Test as well as with the current guidelines of the CDC and the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.