SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Saturday marked Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, commemorating the 83rd anniversary of Japan's attack on the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
The attack, which occurred on December 7, 1941, resulted in the deaths of more than 2,400 Americans and significantly impacted U.S. history, leading the nation into World War II.
In San Diego, community members gathered at the USS Midway Museum early Saturday morning to honor the lives lost during the attack. The ceremony featured a two-bell salute, prayer, a wreath-laying, a missing man flyover, and the playing of Taps.
Among the attendees was Robert Schenkelberg, the son of a Pearl Harbor survivor. Robert will never forget his father's bravery in 1941.
"You know, sometimes people forget what the military does and the readiness that this country needs to have. It's so easy just to sit back and take our freedom for granted," Schenkelberg said.
As of today, only 16 living survivors of the Pearl Harbor tragedy remain. The last survivor of the USS Arizona, Lou Conter, passed away earlier this year.
