PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — Dec. 7 marks a pivotal moment in world history when the nation entered into World War II following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan.
The attack galvanized people into action, fulfilling the foreboding words reportedly written by Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto in his diary, “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with terrible resolve.”
The years-long struggle finally came to an end on Sept. 2, 1945, when Japanese officials signed the Instrument of Surrender aboard the deck of the USS Missouri as it sat in Tokyo Bay, Japan. The document is displayed next to the area where it was signed aboard the Battleship Missouri Memorial.
The Dec. 7 event remembers the many lives lost, military and civilian, and the manner in which they fought with honor, integrity and resiliency.
Pearl Harbor Commemorative Events:
- Dec. 6, 5-6 p.m. HST: USS Utah Memorial Ceremony, USS Utah Memorial on Ford Island (live stream)
- Dec. 7, 7:50-9 a.m. HST: 82nd Anniversary Commemorative Program with the theme of “Legacy of Hope,” Pearl Harbor National Memorial (live stream) + USS Oklahoma Ceremony, USS Oklahoma Memorial on Ford Island, 1-2 p.m. HST (live stream)
- Dec. 8, 4-5 p.m. HST: Blackened Canteen Ceremony, Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor National Memorial (invitation only)
- Dec. 9, noon-1 p.m. HST: USS Arizona Live Dive with divers from the National Park Service supported and accompanied by U.S. Navy Region Hawaii; a live feed will be available to the public at the Pearl Harbor NM theater during which visitors can ask questions
Ford Island events are restricted to those with base access.
Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.