Every year on Dec. 7, our country comes together to show our support for the veterans and heroes of the United States and to remember the lives lost in 1941 when Pearl Harbor was bombed. It is a bitter-sweet day of remembering and honoring the 2,403 service members and civilians who were killed.
At Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941, over 2,400 Americans died from a surprise attack by Japanese bombers. The attack happened just before 8 a.m.. There was confusion among the lookouts as Japanese planes were flying around the area simultaneously with some US B-17s. No one realized it was the Japanese until it was too late. Everyone scrambled and panicked, and some machine gunners were even firing at their own planes. It was so frantic that when Ed Miklavic, a Pearl Harbor survivor, saw someone on their knees, he said, “It’s too late to pray.” Many tried to hide or take cover while many other servicemen put their lives on the line to protect who they could.
The attack damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, a minelayer, and 159 aircraft and destroyed 188 aircraft. Japan aimed to weaken the US so they could continue their attacks without US intervention. However, this instead got the US to officially join WWII and led to the victory over Germany and Japan.
In 1994, the United States Congress designated Dec. 7 as National Pearl Harbor Day, signed by President Bill Clinton. While Pearl Harbor Day is not a federal holiday, many still make the time to honor those veterans and those at Pearl Harbor. Events such as the Veteran’s Day Parade allow us to show our respect and love for what they do for us, our country, and our freedom. Pearl Harbor Day is the day to show love and respect for those who were at Pearl Harbor.
Honoring America’s Veterans is partnering with American Legion Post 138 to host this year’s Pearl Harbor Commemoration. You can learn more about the event here: https://honoringamericasveterans.org/pearl-harbor-day/