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Between Thanksgiving shopping, holiday sales, menorahs and trees, it’s easy to forget Pearl Harbor Day and the famous words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt: Dec. 7, 1941, would live in infamy, timeanddate.com reports.
The country was launched into World War II, and almost 2,500 American solders were killed at Pearl Harbor and more than 1,100 wounded. On Aug. 23, 1994, Congress designated Dec. 7 of each year as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
On the direction of the president, American flags should be displayed half-staff on homes, the White House and all U.S. government buildings to honor those who died in the attack, according to the website.
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is not a federal holiday, and government offices, schools and the post office are open. Public transit systems run on regular schedules. Some organizations may hold special events in memory of those killed or injured in Pearl Harbor.
Memorial services and activities include wreath-laying ceremonies; keynote speeches by those associated with the event; luncheons; media stories on survivors’ recollections; and more.
The USS Arizona experienced the most devastating damage when the attack occurred, and survivors may choose to have their ashes deposited by divers beneath one the sunken gun’s turrets. Roughly 30 Arizona survivors have chosen this option, and fewer than a dozen of the 355 survivors are known to still be alive, according to reports.
Japan is the largest source of international tourists to Hawaii, and many pay their respects at Pearl Harbor just as Americans do. The economic vitality of Hawaii depends largely on tourism from Japan.
For more information on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, click here.
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