JACKSONVILLE, N.C. -- December 7 marks 77 years since Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, known as the Day of infamy in history.

The American Legion, Post 265 in Jacksonville hosted a remembrance day to honor not just the 2,403 United States service members killed, but to remind us that anything is possible at any time.

“It's our history. Where we've been tells us where we're going to go,’’ said Captain Greg Nezat of the United States Navy who served as the speaker at the event.

The speaker's main message was not to forget which is getting harder to do with each passing year, as fewer and fewer World War II veterans are left as reminders.

"These heroes aren't going to be around forever. We have 32 in our county, is my understanding, but they weren't able to be here today. They are older and obviously have medical issues for the most part,” Nezat said.

Just days ago, 95-year-old Bob Dole stood up to salute his one-time political opponent. 94-year-old George H.W. Bush are both men considered part of the greatest generation.

“The greatest generation kept our country intact and freed the rest of the world from fascism and eventually communism. And they just don't grasp the significance of it, and if they don't start learning about it and appreciate what happened. If we go into another period of strife, and we're almost there if you look at what’s going on in the world, another period of strife. They're the ones that are going to have to clean it up, and they will regret it,” said George Cleveland, Onlsow County’s state representative and a Marine Corps veteran himself.