It was a solemn occasion for the 20 odd survivors of World War II who were in their 90s when they assembled at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on the morning of December 7. It was on that date 77 years back Japan had attacked the area at 7.55 AM. The veterans observed a moment of silence and F-22 jets of Hawaii Air National Guard flew overhead to break the silence. The aircraft flew in a specific formation known as “missing man formation.” Navy and National Park Service had organized the event jointly at the venue overlooking the USS Arizona Memorial.

Daily Mail UK reports the loss incurred in the attack pertained to innumerable naval vessels and aircraft apart from thousands of servicemen and civilians.

Speaking at the ceremony U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Commander Adm. Phil Davidson said, “the nation can never forget the heavy price paid.” USS Arizona was a major casualty. It sank in the attack and there were five survivors but none of them could make it to Hawaii.

New York also remembers

Two bombs struck USS Arizona that triggered explosions and the battleship sank with its occupants who met a watery grave. There were 1,177 sailors and Marines on board and it was the single largest casualty from any ship. There were 23 sets of brothers in the ship and they perished when the USS Arizona sank.

New York City also conducted a memorial ceremony.

The venue was the decommissioned World War II aircraft carrier USS Intrepid that is now a museum. At 11 AM, some survivors of Pearl Harbor joined in a wreath-laying program on the deck of the Intrepid. Many of the dead remained unidentified even today and the authorities have taken action to use modern techniques like DNA matching to identify them.

The attack on Pearl Harbor

According to Independent UK, December 7 was the day when Japan launched an attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. That happened 77 years back in 1941 and the then US President Franklin D Roosevelt termed it as “a day that will live in infamy.” The attack was one of the deadliest on American soil, took many lives and destroyed hundreds of ships and aircraft.

That prompted President Roosevelt to declare war on Japan the next day.

Americans observe Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day because it was a defining moment in the history of the country. It is the day to honor the dead when all US Government buildings fly their flags half-staff. The attack on the US naval installation in Hawaii was an example of the consequences of a global conflict, which took a heavy toll of millions of lives of not only soldiers but also civilians.
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