"Remembering Pearl Harbor: A Chronicle of Valor and Resilience"

At 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time on December 7, 1941, a Japanese dive bomber, bearing the red symbol of the Rising Sun of Japan on its wings, appeared out of the clouds above the island of Oahu. It marked the beginning of a ferocious assault that would strike a critical blow against the U.S. Pacific fleet and draw the United States irrevocably into World War II.

The surprise attack caught the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor off guard. Diplomatic negotiations with Japan had been breaking down, and there were indications that an imminent Japanese attack was probable. Yet, nothing substantial had been done to increase security at the vital naval base.

It was a Sunday morning, and many military personnel had been given passes to attend religious services off base. Two radio operators spotted large groups of aircraft in flight toward the island from the north at 7:02 a.m. However, with a flight of B-17s expected from the United States at that time, they were told to sound no alarm. Consequently, the Japanese air assault came as a devastating surprise to the naval base.

The attack resulted in a devastating blow to much of the Pacific fleet. Five of eight battleships, three destroyers, and seven other ships were sunk or severely damaged, and more than 200 aircraft were destroyed. A total of 2,400 Americans were killed, and 1,200 were wounded, many while valiantly attempting to repulse the attack. Japan's losses were around 30 planes, five midget submarines, and fewer than 100 men.

Fortunately, all three Pacific fleet carriers were out at sea on training maneuvers, escaping the destruction. These carriers would later have their revenge against Japan six months later at the Battle of Midway, reversing the tide against the previously invincible Japanese navy in a spectacular victory.

The attack on Pearl Harbor left the Allies with only the three US carriers and two British battleships as active capital ships in the theater. Although the cruisers, destroyers, and submarines available from the Dutch and Free French reduced the numerical inferiority against the Japanese navy, the Allied craft were widely dispersed and under multiple commands.

The day after Pearl Harbor was bombed, President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed a joint session of Congress, declaring, "Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan." After a brief and forceful speech, he asked Congress to approve a resolution recognizing the state of war between the United States and Japan. The Senate voted for war against Japan by 82 to 0, and the House of Representatives approved the resolution by a vote of 388 to 1. The sole dissenter was Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana, a devout pacifist who had also cast a dissenting vote against the U.S. entrance into World War I.

Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war against the United States, and the U.S. government responded in kind. The American contribution to the successful Allied war effort spanned four long years and cost more than 400,000 American lives.

As we remember the events of that fateful day, let us pay homage to the valor, resilience, and united resolve displayed by the individuals who faced the surprise attack head-on. Their sacrifice paved the way for a collective commitment to defend freedom and uphold the values that define the United States. In honoring their memory, we find inspiration to continue forging ahead with strength and determination, united against any adversity that may come our way.