[New] VETERANS WAY

BY REV. FREDERICK MILLER. PH.D.

On Pearl Harbor Day, the American flag should be flown at half-staff until sunset to honor those who died as a result of the attack on the U.S. military forces in Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor Day is not a federal holiday – government offices, school, and businesses do not close. Some organizations may hold special events in memory of those killed or injured at Pearl Harbor. This year is the 80th anniversary of that attack.

On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, killing 2,403 Americans and injuring 1,178 others. The attack sank four U.S. Navy battleships and damaged four others. It also damaged three cruisers, three destroyers and one minelayer. Aircraft losses were 188 destroyed and 159 damaged.

On December 8, in a joint session of Congress, President Franklin Roosevelt made a speech in which he called December 7, 1941 “a date which will live in infamy.” Congress then declared war on Japan. Three days later, Japan’s allies Germany and Italy declared war against the United States. For a second time, Congress reciprocated, declaring war on the European powers. More than two years after the start of World War II, the United States entered World War II. The war in Europe ended on May 8, 1945. The war with Japan ended September 2, 1945. However, even though we won the war we lost 291,557 servicemen in combat and 670,846 were wounded.

Six months after the air raid on Pearl Harbor, the Office of War Information (OWI) was created. The concentrated on subjects like aircraft factories, training for war, women in the workforce and the armed services. The OWI documented and celebrated American patriotism in the military and on the home front. Basically our whole civilian population supported the actions in the war.

In 1990, leading up to the 50th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Congress established the Pearl Harbor Commemorative Medal. This also known as the Pearl Harbor Survivor’s medal and was awarded to anyone who was in the U.S. Armed Forces and who was present in Hawaii on December 7, 1941, and participated in combat