Grace Palo
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) On the 75th anniversary of the attacks on Peal Harbor, the Friends of the National World War II Memorial (Friends) and the National Park Service are hosting a ceremony at the World War II Memorial. This ceremony is to remember and honor all that died in the December 7, 1941 attack.
In attendance, there will be more than twenty Pearl Harbor survivors as well as World War II veterans will present several wreaths at the Freedom Wall of the World War II memorial. The wreaths will represent the remembrance of more than 400,000 Americans whose lives were lost during World War II, including the more than 2,400 individuals who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor 75 years ago.
The ceremony will begin precisely at 12:53 p.m., the same time that the attacks began 75 years ago. The Pearl Harbor survivors and the World War II veterans will be introduced individually before the ceremony begins at 12:30 p.m.
Senator John McCain will serve as the keynote speaker for this event. According to a statement released, “Senator McCain will be joined by his 104-year-old mother, Mrs. Roberta McCain, in presenting the United States of America wreath at the Memorial. Senator McCain’s father and grandfather, the first father-son pair ever to achieve four-star admiral rank in the U.S. Navy, both served in the Pacific Theater of Operations during WWII.”
President Roosevelt’s December 8, 1941 “Day of Infamy” speech will be read by his great-grandson, Elliott (Toby) Roosevelt III, along with personal remarks on behalf of the Roosevelt family.
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(Photo: National Park Service)
