![]() In our current war on terror, we must maintain that same national resolve. We should realize that the sacrifice of those Americans inspired a strong national resolve and led our nation to victory. As members of the armed services, we perhaps have an even greater debt, for it is our ancestors at Pearl Harbor who built the reputation of our institution, who inspire us today, and who stir the resolve of our nation.Īdmiral Yamamoto, the leader of the Japanese attack, proved prophetic when he remarked, "We have awakened a sleeping giant and have instilled in him a terrible resolve." As we take a moment to reflect on the events of Pearl Harbor, we should remember those who lost their lives and how we are indelibly linked through generations of service. Every generation owes a debt of gratitude to the previous for the ultimate price paid by those who sacrificed in order to pass the torch of freedom. We therefore, are each part of a proud lineage, a lineage that is directly linked to our forefathers at Pearl Harbor. We choose to proudly wear our nation's military uniform, like generations of Americans before us, including the Greatest Generation. We understand, perhaps more clearly today, that danger lurks wherever liberty and freedom are not embraced. They understand that freedom is not free and that our American values are worth defending, at the cost of our lives if necessary. The men and women of the Liberty Wing are great patriots. The same is true of our current generation of the Liberty Wing Airmen. They were great heroes, not for acts of valor which undoubtedly were conducted as the attack unfolded, but simply for their willingness to wear the uniform and to defend our way of life in a difficult period. They believed in freedom and understood the cost of protecting it. They understood the virtues of duty, sacrifice and service before self. When they went to sleep the night before the attack, they were not directly involved in the on-going world war, but they were trained and ready to contribute. They volunteered to serve their nation during an era fraught with conflict and violence. National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day was established to commemorate those Americans who lost their lives as a result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and is a special tribute to the veterans of World War II.Īs I pause and think about those who lost their lives on that fateful morning, I realize that they were not much different than the Airmen I see on a daily basis at RAF Lakenheath. On the following day it was described by President Roosevelt as "a day which will live in infamy", a phrase which is easily recalled to this day and symbolizes the permanence of this event in our national memory. To our own astonishment, a devastating attack on our homeland was successfully carried out. 4 battleships were sunk and 4 more were badly damaged. 2,402 Americans were killed and 1,282 were injured. The results were devastating to the US Navy's Pacific Fleet and to our nation's sense of security and invulnerability. 7, 1941, 353 Japanese aircraft launched from six aircraft carriers and conducted a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England - In the early morning Dec.
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