MEDIA RELEASE

In observance of the 70th anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Gov. Neil Abercrombie has ordered all Hawaii flags at all state offices and agencies as well as the Hawaii National Guard are to be flown at half-staff alongside U.S. flags from sunrise to sunset on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011.

President Barack Obama has proclaimed Dec. 7, 2011, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

NATIONAL PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY, 2011
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

On a serene Sunday morning 70 years ago, the skies above Pearl Harbor were darkened by the bombs of Japanese forces in a surprise attack that tested the resilience of our Armed Forces and the will of our Nation.

As explosions sounded and battleships burned, brave service members fought back fiercely with everything they could find. Unbeknownst to these selfless individuals, the sacrifices endured on that infamous day would galvanize America and come to symbolize the mettle of a generation.

In the wake of the bombing of our harbor and the crippling of our Pacific Fleet, there were those who declared the United States had been reduced to a third-class power. But rather than break the spirit of our Nation, the attack brought Americans together and fortified our resolve.

Patriots across our country answered the call to defend our way of life at home and abroad. They crossed oceans and stormed beaches, freeing millions from the grip of tyranny and proving that our military is the greatest force for liberty and security the world has ever known.

On the home front, dedicated civilians supported the war effort by repairing wrecked battleships, working in factories, and joining civilian defense organizations to help with salvage programs and plant Victory gardens. At this time of great strife, we reminded the world there is no challenge we cannot meet; there is no challenge we cannot overcome.

On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we honor the more than 3,500 Americans killed or wounded during that deadly attack and pay tribute to the heroes whose courage ensured our Nation would recover from this vicious blow. Their tenacity helped define the Greatest Generation and their valor fortified all who served during World War II.

As a Nation, we look to Dec. 7, 1941, to draw strength from the example set by these patriots and to honor all who have sacrificed for our freedoms.

The Congress, by Public Law 103-308, as amended, has designated Dec. 7 of each year as “National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.”

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Dec. 7, 2011, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I encourage all Americans to observe this solemn day of remembrance and to honor our military, past and present, with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I urge all Federal agencies and interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff this Dec. 7 in honor of those American patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

Senator Daniel K. Akaka’s remarks in today’s Congressional Record:

Mr. President, I rise today in observation of the surprise attack that the Empire of Japan launched on the United States military bases in Hawaii 70 years ago. The attack was concentrated on the Pearl Harbor Naval Base, where over 2,400 courageous sailors, soldiers, and marines lost their lives. Each year, close to one and a half million people from across the country and around the world visit the memorials at Pearl Harbor to remember the events of December 7, 1941, and how the world was changed forever on that day.

As the sun rose over Pearl Harbor today, solemn prayers were offered and large crowds gathered to honor the sacrifice made by so many of our brave young men and women.

The National Park Service and the Navy Region Hawaii are hosting the 70th Anniversary Pearl Harbor Day Commemoration at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center to recognize those who bravely survived the attacks and to remember the thousands more who gave their lives in service to their country that day.

Representative Charles William “Bill” Young from Florida will be representing Congress at the commemoration ceremony accompanied by William Muehleib, the President of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, and approximately 100 survivors of the attacks, including eight who were aboard the USS Arizona, which lies enshrined at the bottom of Pearl Harbor today. The USS Oklahoma, BB 37, Memorial Executive Committee will dedicate a rose granite memorial marker at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl to honor the memory of the approximately 355 USS Oklahoma sailors who perished, but were never individually identified. The remains of two servicemembers will be interred at the USS Utah and the USS Arizona, so they may again join their shipmates in accordance with their wishes. And the Hawaii Air National Guard will fly F-22 Raptors over the memorial sites at Pearl Harbor and Hickam Air Force Base in honor of the fallen.

I want to recognize and thank the National Park Service and Navy Region Hawaii for their diligent work and dedication to ensuring that the legacy of the thousands of servicemembers who perished that day lives on through the memorials that stand solemnly at Pearl Harbor. They have done an outstanding job conveying the unwavering spirit of those, who in the face of perilous odds, stood their ground and fought back against the Japanese attack to save the lives of their brothers in arms. The efforts of these organizations have helped to make sure that our country will never forget the tragic loss that all Americans felt as news of the attack spread across the nation.

We must continue to remember the acts of heroism, bravery, and sacrifice that followed the attack. Our country fought in the name of justice to preserve our nation’s sacred freedoms. And we must also recognize and thank the courageous men and women of our armed forces today who are still fighting in the name of those same freedoms. I urge the citizens of this nation to recall that it was the collaboration of a country and the sacrifices made by ordinary men and women who rallied in defense of freedom, liberty, and the great promise of our democracy that preserved our nation’s freedom and liberty. It is in that spirit of coming together to save our country that has always produced the strongest results and made our country great.

Mr. President, I ask my Senate colleagues to join me in prayer and remembrance for the men and women who died in Pearl Harbor, and those who are still fighting overseas today. May God bless all of those who have served to protect our shores and God bless America.