PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (KHON2) — Clear skies greeted guests and dignitaries at the 83rd commemoration of the Pearl Harbor attacks on Saturday, Dec. 7.
The ceremony in 2024 brought reflection and hope by honoring the past while looking toward the future.
There was a moment of silence for those who lost their lives in the chaos 83 years ago to kick off the ceremony as the sun rose over the Arizona Memorial on Saturday.
“The survivors here today lived all of that. They will never forget it and neither must we,” said U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Steve Koehler.
More than 2,400 Americans were killed that day and over 1,100 of them perished on the USS Arizona.
The Memorial crossed a solemn milestone in April 2024 with the passing of Lou Conter, the Arizona’s last living survivor.
“When the Arizona sank, he came back on a boat to rescue his shipmates. Later in the war, when his plane was shot down over the Pacific,” Adm. Koehler said, “he told his aircrew, ‘Get ready to swim and if a shark comes up to you, punch it in the nose!’”
“So, what do we do now? How do we move forward? Well, I’m sure Lou and many of the other survivors would have said we have to forge ahead and continue to ensure we continue to remember Pearl Harbor,” said National Park Service Pearl Harbor National Memorial superintendent Tom Leatherman.
While December 7, 1941 is a day that lives in infamy, Saturday’s celebration also focused on the days and weeks that followed — filled with grit, resilience and the determination to forge ahead.
“The attack on Pearl Harbor was a moment of profound tragedy, but also a turning point in history. In the days that followed, Americans faced a stark choice: succumb to despair or rise to the challenge,” said granddaughter of USS Arizona survivor Donald Stratton, Nikki Stratton. “By finding joy in our lives, we honor their sacrifice and ensure their efforts are not in vain. As we reflect on Pearl Harbor, let us remember that joy comes not from ignoring hardship, but from celebrating the triumphs borne from it.”
Two Pearl Harbor survivors were able to attend the ceremony on Saturday; 104-year-old Ira “Ike” Schab and 102-year-old Kenneth Stevens.
A new U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine will be commissioned as the USS Arizona (SSN 803) in 2027 or 2028 and will become the first vessel to bear that name since 1941.