2018 Pearl Harbor Commemorations Around the US
Every year, we gather as a nation to take a moment and commemorate the lives lost during the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. It was a day that changed the nation forever, and the men and women who were there, survivors and casualties alike, became heroes we will never forget. Even 77 years later we stand together and show respect for those who gave their lives during the attack, those who have passed away in the intervening years, and those still alive today to tell their incredible stories.
The following is a glimpse at some of the 2018 Pearl Harbor commemorations around the country.
Pearl Harbor Commemoration Ceremonies and Parade - Honolulu, HI
The Remembrance Circle at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center
The quintessential Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony is held in Honolulu, at the naval base where the attack unfolded. The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center serves as the backdrop to the morning event, which welcomes World War II veterans, Pearl Harbor survivors, and the public to honor the lives lost on that long-ago Sunday morning.
In the afternoon, there is a ceremony honoring the 429 men lost aboard USS Oklahoma at the USS Oklahoma Memorial on Ford Island.
At 6:00 PM, the annual Pearl Harbor Parade kicks off at Fort DeRussy, where military and school bands, local dignitaries, and World War II veterans start their march along Kalakaua Avenue, culminating with a performance at the Waikiki Shell.
Click here for the schedule of 2018 Pearl Harbor commemorations around Oahu.
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Event - Mission, Kansas
The City of Mission, Kansas commemorates the 77th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack with a reception at the Sylvester Powell Jr. Community Center. A moment of silence is held at the time of the bombing followed by an interview with local survivor Dorinda Nicholson, who was only 6 years old at the time of the attack.
Plane Talks: Pearl Harbor - Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
It’s difficult not to talk about warplanes when discussing the attack on Pearl Harbor, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base embraces this with Plane Talks. Experts stationed at aircraft and exhibits relating to Pearl Harbor are on hand to share information and answer visitors' questions about the attack.
Pearl Harbor Day - Phoenix, Arizona
The Arizona Capitol Museum, home to an exhibit dedicated to the USS Arizona, hosts the Orpheus Men’s Chorus on the morning of December 7, 2018. The chorus will perform a selection of military-inspired songs in honor of the memory of the fallen.
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Commemoration - St. Paul, Minnesota
The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Fort Snelling National Cemetery Memorial Rifle Squad, Minnesota Historical Society, and Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs join forces to host a commemoration ceremony at Historic Fort Snelling. The free event welcomes all to spend a moment to remember the fallen and hear stories of the attack and its aftermath.
Commemoration of the 77th Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor - Charleston, Massachusetts
The National Parks of Boston, USS Constitution, Naval History & Heritage Command Detachment Boston, and the USS Constitution Museum host a remembrance ceremony taking place adjacent to the USS Cassin Young. The commemoration honors those who sacrificed everything to protect their nation with a wreath laid from Cassin Young’s stern. A luncheon sponsored by the City of Boston’s Veterans Services Department follows.
2018 Pearl Harbor Commemorations - New Orleans, Louisiana
A series of events will be held at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans to honor the fallen soldiers, sailors and Marines of Pearl Harbor. Starting at 11:30 AM, the Pearl Harbor Commemoration Ceremony takes place at the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center. The ceremony remembers the attack and the lives lost and will be followed at 12:00 noon with a lecture by Park Ranger Jack Henkels. The former USS Arizona Memorial ranger answers questions about details of the attack, including Japan’s reasoning and how the attack remained a surprise.
Pearl Harbor 77th Anniversary - Alameda, California
The USS Hornet Museum welcomes speaker Lawson Sakai, who was rejected from enlisting on December 8, 1941 for being an “enemy alien.” Sakai will speak about the Japanese Internment that followed the attack on Pearl Harbor, and his time in service after he was finally allowed to enlist in 1943. The ceremony and lecture accompany the grand opening of the Infamy: December 7, 1941 traveling exhibit.
Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Ceremony - Fort Wayne, Indiana
Vinton-Shellsburg Middle School LMC hosts its annual Pearl Harbor Day Ceremony, where 8th grade students, joined by teacher Alex Vasquez, lead the commemoration with an exhibit filled with World War II artifacts. A piece of the USS Arizona belonging to the school will be on display during the anniversary ceremony.
Annual Pearl Harbor Day Ceremony - Vinton, Iowa
Starting at 7:00 PM, the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum opens its Pearl Harbor Day commemoration ceremony. Hosted by the Army Navy Union #57 and the Allen County Council of Veterans, the event honors the men and women who sacrificed everything on December 7, 1941.
