To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, 32 survivors attended a Tuesday ceremony at the site, honoring the fallen.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese bombers attacked U.S. Navy ships at the Pearl Harbor base in Hawaii, bringing the United States into World War II. More than 2,300 U.S. troops were killed at Pearl Harbor, with almost half of them serving on the USS Arizona.
In addition to the Pearl Harbor survivors, about 100 World War II veterans attended the ceremony, as well as an original Rosie the Riveter and several women who worked in factories as part of the war effort. Addressing the crowd, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said the event allows Americans to "recognize, honor, and give thanks to the generation of military veterans and civilians who served during World War II."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Herb Elfring, now 99, was part of the Army and California National Guard, stationed at Camp Malakole, just a few miles from Pearl Harbor. He remembers the Japanese planes flying overhead and bullets hitting the base. Elfring flew from Michigan to Hawaii for the 80th anniversary ceremony, telling the Los Angeles Times, "It was just plain good to get back and be able to participate in the remembrance of the day."
Dick Higgins, 100, also made the trek to Oahu, traveling to the island from his home in Bend, Oregon. His friend Scot Brees told KTVZ that "for all of the veterans, and Dick in particular, they were all very circumspect. Many of them talked very openly about how this may be the last time they ever attend one of these. ... Most expect that the next time they run around for a remembrance ceremony on a five-year mark, there probably won't be any remaining."
-
Fannie Flagg’s 6 favorite books that sparked her imaginationFeature The author recommends works by Johanna Spyri, John Steinbeck, and more
-
Google: A monopoly past its prime?Feature Google’s antitrust case ends with a slap on the wrist as courts struggle to keep up with the tech industry’s rapid changes
-
Patrick Hemingway: The Hemingway son who tended to his father’s legacyFeature He was comfortable in the shadow of his famous father, Ernest Hemingway
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
