Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

On December 7, 1941, Japanese warplanes launched a surprise attack on the U.S.A. Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. More than 2,400 U.S. service personnel and civilians perished, and several U.S. battleships and airplanes were either destroyed or damaged. The December 8th, the U.S. entered World War II, changing the course of history for ever.

This year marks the 82nd National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. This day will see veterans and visitors from all over the world gathering at Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial to remember those who were lost.

Organizations across the U.S. also hold tributes, wreath-laying ceremonies, and memorial services to honor the dead. Another long-held tradition is flying the U.S. flag at half-staff until sunset as a mark of respect for those who served at Pearl Harbor.

The last living veteran from the Pearl Harbor attack, Lou Conter, turns 101 this year. He shared his account of what happened in 1941 here.