As December rolls closer in, thoughts of the holiday season are on many people’s minds. Although Christmas is a huge part of December and a large event before that here in Hawaii and American History is the attack on Pearl Harbor. Just before that on Sunday, December 7th, 1941 early into the morning while sailors and crewmates in Pearl Harbor were getting ready for another relaxing Sunday when two Japanese flight squadrons came flying into Pearl Harbor guns blazing and dropping bombs and torpedoes into the ships below.  Within 110 minutes, over 2,403 people were dead from the attacks and 21 ships sinking or heavily damaged by the attacks done by the Japanese Navy. 

Ever since that terrible day, Pearl Harbor has had an annual remembrance of those whose lives were lost due to the attacks. A memorial was built in 1962 over the sunken USS Arizona with a huge bulletin to show who had died that day. Annually, the memorial gets over two million visitors and it commemorates the day of those events. In the aftermath, four battleships were sunk in the attacks along with cruisers, destroyers, and submarines. The attacks on Pearl Harbor have left a permanent mark on its history and it will be forever remembered by those who were lost that day. 

Sophomore Carson Smith provided input on how he had felt about Pearl Harbor. “I think Pearl Harbor should be remembered forever and the same for the men and women who had died that day,” Smith said.

He explained that Pearl Harbor dragged us out of economic depression and into a fighting spirit which grew the American Economy.

“I think that Pearl Harbor brought the fighting spirit back into America and those also in service and allowed for America to come together as one,” Smith added. He said that it makes him proud to be a part of the military and showing his respect to the school and to those who serve. 

In the end, the attacks on Pearl Harbor had caused large destruction and death to the island of Oahu. It had left 2,403 dead and another 1,178 wounded. A majority of the students at Radford have a military background. It is also important to remember those who were lost that day in the midst of the attacks. It is a large part of history not only for the military but also for Hawaii because it caused Hawaii and the rest of the U.S. to go to war with the Axis powers during World War II. It shows the historical importance behind what had started the beginning of America to go to war with Japan and the other Axis powers and to help its fellow allies that were fighting in Europe.