Dear Editor:
As we engage in the busy holiday season, citizens should take note that Sunday, December 7, was the 62nd anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This deliberate and sudden attack by Japan’s air and naval forces caused severe damage to the U.S. troops stationed in the Pacific theater, with more than 2,000 American military personnel and civilian casualties. More importantly, the shock and anger caused by the surprise attack united the nation in a national commitment to victory in World War II.
At 7:55 a.m., the Japanese attacked military airfields at the same time they assaulted the fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor. Within 15 minutes, the Japanese had either sank or immobilized almost the entire U.S. Pacific Fleet, including the U.S.S. Arizona which collapsed within minutes of the attack, costing the lives of more than 1,000 American servicemen.
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is a time to honor and pay tribute to the American naval and military personnel who proudly served our country on December 7, 1941, with the ultimate sacrifice of their lives.
Please take a moment to remember the legacy of those brave men and women who courageously defended and protected our way of life.
Assemblyman Anthony Impreveduto