'A date which will live in infamy.' Pearl Harbor remembered
The Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor destroyed more than 20 naval vessels and nearly 200 airplanes and killed 2,400 Americans and wounded at least 1,000 others.
That attack hasn't been forgotten in the 82 years since that day, and ceremonies are held to mark the attack, which officially drew America into World War II.
More about Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day and how to mark the day:
When is National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day?
According to the National Park Service, the United States Congress designated Dec. 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, and every year, remembrance events are held at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, culminating in a commemoration ceremony on Dec. 7.
American flags will be flown at half-staff.
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day primer: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day: What to know about the attack on Dec. 7, 1941
Events are also held throughout the Delaware Valley to honor those who perished in and survived the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Pennsylvania Military Museum to host National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony
To mark National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, the Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg will host a tribute that begins at noon on Thursday.
According to the National World War II Museum, there are 7,038 WWII survivors in Pennsylvania. There are 3,344 in New Jersey and another 462 in Delaware.
According to the museum, the tribute will be held beneath the guns of the USS Pennsylvania, which was a witness to that attack.
Guided tours and light refreshments will be available in the museum theater.
WWII attack raises local war preparation In World War II, how Pearl Harbor bombing led Delaware coast to prep for enemy attack
More: Levittown's 'Rosie the Riveter' still hard at work helping design Congressional Gold Medal
For those who don't mind a bit of travel, there will be a Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day wreath-laying ceremony at 1 p.m. on Thursday at the Navy Memorial Plaza, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington.
The search for Vietnam MIA continues: Digging for answers: The secret journey in search of Bucks County's last Vietnam MIA
Battleship New Jersey hosts Pearl Harbor Day commemoration
The Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial in Camden will host a free National Pearl Harbor Day ceremony on Thursday, which begins at 10 a.m.
According to the museum's website, the ceremony will provide an opportunity to reflect on the contributions of the men and women, past and present, who have faithfully served and lost their lives protecting our great nation.
More about the attack on Pearl Harbor
The Japanese military attacked Pearl Harbor with no warning on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941.
At the time of the attack, Hawaii was still a territory and not yet a U.S. state. President Dwight D. Eisenhower would later sign a proclamation in 1959, officially admitting Hawaii as the 50th state.
WWII stories: Remembering the Rohna: 'Where did you guys come from? You’re supposed to be dead.'
All told, 2,403 service members and civilians were killed and another 1,178 people were injured in the attack.
Two U.S. Navy battleships – the USS Arizona and the USS Utah – were also permanently sunk, and 188 aircraft were destroyed.
100-year-old veteran recalls attack: On the 80th anniversary, a 100-year-old Delaware veteran recalls attack on Pearl Harbor
The U.S., under President Franklin Roosevelt, declared war with Japan the next day and officially entered into World War II. Roosevelt would famously call the date of the attack "a date which will live in infamy."
More: HMT Rohna: Remembering the 77 NJ men who died in the WWII attack
Where is Pearl Harbor?
Pearl Harbor is a naval base, located on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. It is still an active military base and is the headquarters of the Pacific Fleet.
Bridge in Yardley named after vet: He was 20 when he was killed in Vietnam. Now a bridge in Yardley bears his name
It is also the location of a National Historic Landmark, which commemorates the attack on Pearl Harbor, the war in the Pacific and the eventual surrender of the Japanese on the deck of the USS Missouri in 1945.
Battleship New Jersey observes attack: Battleship New Jersey observes Japanese attack and its own launching anniversary on Pearl Harbor Day
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day honors those lost
