Marking 82 years since Pearl Harbor attack, Hawaii remembers ‘legacy of hope’ left behind

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Dec. 7, 1941 is the day Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and propelled America’s entrance into World War II.

Just before 8 a.m. on that Sunday, Japanese planes started a historic assault on Pearl Harbor that would leave 2,403 Americans dead and 21 ships sunk or damaged.

The lives lost and the significance of that day will never be forgotten.

Marking eighty-two years since the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor, hundreds gathered at the Arizona Memorial to remember the veterans who were lost and honor those who survived the dark moment in history.

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This year’s theme is “Legacy of Hope” which organizers say serves as a reminder for everyone to not just embrace the victory of arms, but the “expression of hope for the realization of a lasting peace” that the veterans held onto tirelessly.

The commemoration ceremony began around 7:50 a.m. at Pearl Harbor National Memorial.

A moment of silence was observed at 7:55 a.m., the exact moment the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor began. A missing man flyover followed.

“It’s a special day this year,” said Pearl Harbor survivor Harry Chandler, who marked his first ceremony at Pearl Harbor this year.

“I can still see the poor guys. See the Arizona going up. I wanna go aboard the Arizona cause I know I can still go aboard,” Chandler said. “I just want to get here for the anniversary.”

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Among those in attendance is “Ike” Schab, the last survivor from Navy Band 13 and among the ranks of a shrinking number of servicemembers.

The 103-year-old was determined to make it back to Honolulu for this year’s ceremony.

Another one of the survivors many are remembering is Jack Holder, who was a 19 year-old Navy sailor on Ford Island when the attack began. Holder passed away earlier this February. He was 101.

In one of his accounts, Holder said he took shelter in a ditch that was being dug for a new sewer pipe. He survive and worked tirelessly to keep the memory of his fallen comrades alive.

As part of the memorial events happening on Thursday, some of Holder’s ashes will be scattered at the USS Utah Memorial at 2:30 p.m.

Other events happening this week that are open to the public include:

• USS Oklahoma Ceremony: Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. at USS Oklahoma Memorial
• USS Arizona Live Dive: Dec. 9 at noon at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial.

For more information on the events, click here.