Today marks 81 years since the devastating surprise attack on America’s Pacific Fleet by the Japanese Imperial Navy, making today
NATIONAL PEARL HARBOR DAY
Sunday morning, December 7th, 1941 was a dawn like any other in Hawaii, promising another perfect sunny day.
Instead, Japanese planes arrived with the sun, and soon reduced the great warships anchored in Pearl Harbor to hulks of twisted, smoking wreckage.
World War 2 was upon us, and the 2,402 Americans killed that day were the first of our countrymen to die in the war that would claim 80 million lives on 5 continents before it ended 3-1/2 years later with the advent of the Atomic Age. America lost almost 300,000 soldiers in that time.
This is one of those landmark days that led directly to where the world is today, with former enemies now allies, and former allies now rivals on the world stage, and everyone hoping no one drops the Big One. Today we remember the first day that stunned America and changed the world, and those brave souls who perished that day.
•Suggested Activities: Give peace a chance