Pearl Harbor Day

[SylvanLakeWH 29,696]

December 7, 1941

 

[953 nut 62,822]

Today we pay honor to the citizens who were killed when Japan sprung their surprise attack. This date results in World War Two, as the United States declared war on Japan on the following day.

On this day, organizations across the United States hold tributes to honor the memory of Pearl Harbor. There are also a lot of reunions and survivors share their stories as well.

Traditionally, the United States flag will be flown at half-staff until sunset. This is an act that honors the people who lost their lives while they were serving for the U.S. at Pearl Harbor.

Today, there are a number of different sites at Pearl Harbor that have been created in memory of those who served during the bombing. Pearl Harbor is the final resting place for a lot of the crew of USS Oklahoma, USS Arizona, and USS Utah.

The memorials here serve as a place of honor to the service members who lost their lives during the attack. They also act as a touching and emotional reminder of war and the loss that it causes.

At Pearl Harbor, you will find the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, which pays honor to the American submarine that sunk 44 ships during World War Two.

There is also the USS Utah Memorial. This is in remembrance of the former battleship, which in 1931 was converted into a target ship. It was sunk in an attack on the 7th of December in 1941.

Another site is the USS Oklahoma Memorial, which pays tribute to the battleship that was also sunk on this date, resulting in 429 men losing their lives. There is also a marble memorial that goes over sunken battleship USS Arizona, which is in tribute of the 1,177 crew members who died.

The attack was devastating, killing over 2,400 citizens of the United States from the time it began at 7:48am Hawaiian time and ended just 90 minutes later, making the attack incredibly devastating. Multiple ships were lost during the attack, though things could have been much worse.

Intelligence gathered after the attack indicated that there was intended to be a third-wave of attacks to hit the island, complete with an invasion fleet intended to take the island and prevent it from being used as an American base of operation.

The purpose behind this surprise attack? America was well positioned in the Pacific to interfere with Japanese fleet maneuvering, and it was hoped that by launching this assault they would cripple the US Pacific Presence and be able to control the ocean unhindered.

As early as 1984, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day was officially declared by President Ronald Reagan. Then, in 1994, the United States Congress agreed jointly that this event would be celebrated each year going forward.

The attack on Pearl Harbor sparked a wave of patriotic creativity in American culture. The slogan “Remember Pearl Harbor” became a popular rallying cry, inspiring songs like Sammy Kaye’s “Remember Pearl Harbor” that climbed music charts in 1941.

Several ships were salvaged and returned to service. The USS West Virginia, sunk during the attack, was raised, repaired, and rejoined the Pacific Fleet in 1944. Similarly, the USS California and USS Nevada were also restored and fought in key battles later in the war.

[ebinmaine 75,418]

    

[JoeM 9,140]

Much like the modern day 9/11

Easy to become complacence  

[Beap52 1,719]

I, and a majority of Americans, will never grasp the suffering that our service men and women went  through in Pearl Harbor 84 years ago.  I've been to Hawaii three times and always make a trip to the Arizona Memorial.  Very humbling to be standing there and and try to take in what it was like to be there that Sunday morning.  My wife has a tradition of anonymously  paying for a military personnel's meal if she see them in uniform.  Someone bought our son's meal and she does this in honor and remembrance  of him. 

[MainelyWheelhorse 2,215]

My Great Uncle was in Pearl Harbor and would tell the story of his escape from what I believe is the West Virginia, to any who listened. Much like 9/11 people remembered where they were on that day. May we never forget.