The Pearl Harbor remembrance ceremony began in Hawaii on Sunday with a moment of silence at 7:55 a.m., the same time the Japanese bombing began on Dec. 7, 1941.
The annual ceremony marked the 84th anniversary of the attack, which killed more than 2,300 troops and propelled the U.S. into World War II.
“With this commemoration we recognize the importance of remembering the moment in the past when the prospects for peace were shattered and our nation was plunged into global war,” said David Ono, the event’s master of ceremonies.
Survivors of the attack have long been the center of the remembrance ceremony held at the military base’s waterfront, though today only 12 troops are still alive. All centenarians, this year none were able to make the pilgrimage to Hawaii to mark the event. That means no one attending had firsthand memories of serving during the attack.
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In his remarks, Ono said the ceremony serves not only as a moment of reflection and gratitude but also as a call to action to build upon the solid foundation built by the Greatest Generation.
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Survivors have been present every year in recent memory except for 2020, when the Navy and the National Park Service closed the observance to the general public because of coronavirus pandemic health risks.
About 2,000 survivors attended the 50th anniversary event in 1991. A few dozen have shown in recent decades. Last year, only two made it. That is out of an estimated 87,000 troops stationed on Oahu that day.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
