Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day : A Day That Changed the World
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is observed on December 7th each year to honor and remember the 2, 403 American lives lost in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The story of courage and commitment On December 7th, 1941 , the world watched in horror as the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, came under a surprise attack by the Japanese Imperial Navy. This act of aggression, which claimed the lives of over 2, 400 American service members and civilians, plunged the United States into World War II. A Day of Infamy The attack on Pearl Harbor began just before 8: 00 a. m. local time. Over 350 Japanese aircraft, launched from six aircraft carriers, descended upon the unsuspecting base. In a matter of hours, the USS Arizona, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and California were sunk, and numerous other ships were damaged. The attack also destroyed or damaged hundreds of aircraft and caused widespread destruction to the base's infrastruc...