‘Remember Pearl Harbor’ still resonates
A small group of veterans and their supporters braved the cold Monday as they gathered at the gazebo in Highland’s Main Square Park to mark the exact time 79 years ago the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor began.
For more than a decade the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors have hosted the Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Ceremony led by James Laud Sr., the organization’s District 5 director, at the park. The event commenced at 11:55 a.m., the exact time local the unprovoked attack on American soil began.
The attack on Pearl Harbor served as a unifying event for a nation divided over the prospect of going to war. The Japanese had hoped the attack would demoralize Americans, instead it did the exact opposite, Laud said.
“The surprise attack by the Empire shocked and enraged a previously divided American people into a level of purposeful unity not seen before or since. ‘Remember Pearl Harbor’ became the battle cry,” Laud Sr. said.
Of the 84,168 uniformed soldiers of all branches of the armed forces stationed in Pearl Harbor that day, 2,403 died and another 1,200 were wounded. Almost half of those who died, 1,177, were killed on one vessel, the U.S.S. Arizona. Some were trapped in watertight compartments in the sunken and capsized ship and died two weeks later.
“We must not ignore the lessons learned from the day that will live in infamy,” Laud said. He said America once again is facing perilous times from enemies both foreign and domestic and tied to no one nation. Americans must remain vigilant to protect their freedoms and liberties, he said.
The ceremony included the reading of the name of the one Pearl Harbor veteran, Phil Klinger, who died since the last ceremony and the tolling of the bell in his honor. Laud said there were also two Pearl Harbor survivors in the district, James DeWitt of Culver, Indiana, and Derwood Swanson, of Tennessee — both men are 99.
Laud said it is important to teach young people, who may not learn about events like Pearl Harbor in school, about the nation’s history and the Americans who fought to keep it free.
“That generation of Americans, the greatest generation, was raised on a strong work ethic and strong will to survive,” Laud said.
Carol and Tim Dionne, of St. John, were among those who attended the ceremony. The couple became active with the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors a couple years ago.
“This should never be forgotten,” Tim said. He echoed Laud’s concerns that young people be taught about events like Pearl Harbor. “Not enough people honor the sacrifices that they made. It’s absolutely important our youth are taught the sacrifices they made.”
Carol Dionne said the couple had the honor of escorting DeWitt in Munster Fourth of July parade in their 1940 Packard.
“Just the attitude of that man, it was so wonderful to be in his presence,” she said. “I’m just happy to be here to pay tribute, to honor our flag and our country. We’re so lucky to live here.”