December 7, 2007
Pearl Harbor Day 2007
Today was a day of solemn remembrance in Hawaii. I did a post about my visit to the Arizona Memorial last year. I don’t think I can improve on it, not because it’s perfect, but because the experience was so emotional for me that it’s difficult to write about. Instead I will share with you some of the activities today that marked the 66th anniversary of the day that lives still in infamy.
Less than fifty Pearl Harbor survivors attended today’s ceremonies at Pearl Harbor. There are fewer of them each year and the day is approaching when the last of them is gone. Until that day, they will be honored on this anniversary. While some come to honor them, they come to honor their absent comrades.
A moving display of 2500 flags planted at Richardson Field honors not only those who died at Pearl Harbor, but more recent losses in Afghanistan and Iraq.
A sunset memorial service remembered those who died on the USS Utah. It’s location on Ford Island puts the USS Utah memorial off limits to most non-military vistors, but the official memorial site contains pictures and a history.
Finally, today was marked by the dedication of a memorial to the 429 Marine and sailors who died on the USS Oklahoma on that dark day.
You can follow a timeline of the events of December 7, 1941 on the National Geographic attack map.
USS Oklahoma Memorial photo: KGMB9 News
Star Bulletin front page image: californiaconserative.org
Technorati Tags: Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Pearl Harbor Day
Posted by skeet @ 11:58 pm • Society & culture
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December 8th, 2007 at 1:01 pm, Whim Says:
I still remember my visit to Pearl Harbor. Very moving.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:55 pm, Karen Says:
Thank you for a very poignant post.
December 10th, 2007 at 1:18 pm, skeet Says:
Pearl Harbor is an incredibly touching experience, Whim. I didn’t know you’d ever been.
December 10th, 2007 at 1:19 pm, skeet Says:
Mahalo, Karen. The whole country pauses to remember what happened at Pearl Harbor, but I think we over here tend to feel it on a more persoanl level - even those of us who weren’t around at that time.