The National Pearl Harbor Memorial Day, celebrated annually on December 7, commemorates the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii during World War II.
Many American service men and women lost their lives or were injured on December 7, 1941. The National Pearl Harbor Memorial Day is also known as Pearl Harbor Memorial Day or Pearl Harbor Day.
What do people do?
Under the direction of the President, the flag of the United States of America must be displayed in the homes of the Americans, the White House and all government buildings in the United States. The flag should be flown at half mast to honor those who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Many associations, especially those linked to survivors of Pearl Harbor or those who died because of the attack, participate in special services to commemorate the event. Memorial services are held in places like the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. Other activities include: garland placement ceremonies; speeches of those associated with the event; lunches; media stories about the memories of the survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack; and school activities to educate students about the attack on Pearl Harbor in relation to the history of World War II.
Public life
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is not a federal holiday. Government offices, schools, businesses and other organizations do not close. Public transport systems work in their regular schedules. Some organizations may hold special events in memory of those killed or injured in Pearl Harbor.
Background
On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, the US Army and Navy base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was attacked by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The attack was a surprise for the Army and the United States Navy and caused great loss of life and equipment. More than 2000 US citizens were killed and more than 1,000 were injured. The Americans also lost a large proportion of their battle ships and nearly 200 aircraft that were stationed in the Pacific region. More than 60 Japanese soldiers were killed, wounded or captured. The Japanese navy also lost five dwarf submarines and 29 aircraft.
The Japanese military hoped that the attack on Pearl Harbor would prevent the United States of America from increasing its influence in the Pacific. However, the events at Pearl Harbor actually led to the escalation of World War II. The day after the attack, the United States declared war on Japan and entered World War II. President Franklin Roosevelt in a speech to Congress declared that the bombing of Pearl Harbor was “a date that will live in infamy.” Soon after, Germany also declared war on the United States. In the months that followed the attack, the slogan “Remember Pearl Harbor” swept the United States and radio stations repeatedly played a song of the same name.
In 1991, which marked the 50th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Congress established the Pearl Harbor Memorial Medal. This is also known as the Pearl Harbor Survivor Medal and can be awarded to any veteran of the United States Armed Forces who was present in or near Pearl Harbor during the Japanese Army attack. The medal can be awarded to civilians who died or were injured in the attack.
Symbols
The monuments have been built to remember or symbolize the day. For example, the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor is a marble monument built on the sunken USS Arizona, which was dedicated in 1962. The memorial remembers all the military personnel who died in the Pearl Harbor attack. The monument was designed by the architect Alfred Preis, a resident of Austrian origin who lived in Honolulu and was placed in a detention camp after the attack on Pearl Harbor as part of the policy of internment of Japanese and Germans at that time.
Another monument commemorating Pearl Harbor Day is the USS Utah, a battleship that was attacked and sunk at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. A monument honoring the USS Utah crew was dedicated on the northwest coast of Ford Island , near the wreck of the ship, in 1972. The ship was added to the National Register of Historic Places and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1989. It is also the official ship of the state of Utah. Memorabilia, books and films about the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 have also been made available to the public over the years.
