December 7, 1941 At 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time, a Japanese dive bomber bearing the red symbol of the Rising Sun of Japan on its wings appears out of the clouds above the island of Oahu. A swarm of 360 Japanese war planes followed, descending on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in a ferocious assault.
The surprise attack struck a critical blow against the U.S. Pacific fleet and drew the United States irrevocably into World War II. It was a day that President Roosevelt appeared before a joint session of Congress and declared, “Yesterday, December 7, 1941–a date which will live in infamy–the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”
A total of 2,400 Americans were killed and 1,200 were wounded, many while valiantly attempting to repulse the attack. The USS Arizona was sunk with 1,177 men still in the ship. Among the Arizona the USS Oklahoma was torpedoed and sunk. Today the USS Arizona is a Federal Park where visitors can still see oil coming from its hull.
Today we need to remember the sacrifices these men made and never forget them and this act of war. So when your out and you see that old man that wearing a cap that says “WWII, Korean War, Vietnam make sure to shake their hand and thank them for when they were young they were the men that ran up the beaches, snow covered mountains and the jungles to defend Freedom.
1-2-3 break.
