Ceremony marks 83rd anniversary of Pearl Harbor attack

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A ceremony Saturday at Pearl Harbor National Memorial commemorates the 83rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
A moment of silence was observed at 7:55 a.m., the exact moment the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor began. It was followed by a missing man flyover.
Watch the full ceremony courtesy of the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.
On Dec. 7, 1941, 350 Japanese aircraft launched an aerial attack on the U.S. naval base, killing 2,403 U.S. citizens and destroying a large part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
A day later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke before Congress, seeking a declaration of war. In a speech that was broadcast nationwide by radio, he called Dec. 7, 1941, “a date which will live in infamy.”
The president’s request was granted that same day, propelling America’s entrance into World War II.
This year’s theme is “Forging Ahead,” emphasizing not only the historical significance but also the vital role of the younger generation in preserving and honoring this legacy.
There were only two survivors in attendance this year, according to Pacific Historic Parks.
Ira “Ike” Schab Jr. is the only one left from the USS Dobbin.
“You know, I have a hard time remembering the day itself. I was scared to death, for one thing, because I didn’t think I was going to survive,” he said. “I thought I was going to die.”
The 104-year-old flew in from Portland to attend the ceremony for those who could not.
He told Hawaii News Now that he will always remember “being alive and being able to provide that service.”
The other survivor, who also arrived earlier this week, is Ken Stevens. The 102-year-old was on the USS Whitney.
Learn more about National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
The last surviving crew member on board the USS Arizona during the attacks died earlier this year. Lou Conter died April 1 and was laid to rest in Grass Valley, Calif. He was 102.
A special day of remembrance was held at Pearl Harbor in Conter’s memory.
Another Pearl Harbor survivor died earlier in May at the age of 102. Herbert Elfring was 19 years old and stationed at Camp Malokole, about three miles from Pearl Harbor, when Japanese planes flew in. He just missed a line of bullets.
Sterling Cale died in January at the age of 102. He was a 20-year-old hospital pharmacist mate assigned to the U.S. Naval Hospital when the attacks occurred.
Trained as a Navy diver, Cale pulled the bodies of 46 sailors from burning water around the sinking battleships. He then spent days removing remains from the twisted wreckage of the USS Arizona, helping to recover the bodies of more than 100 servicemen.
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