COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Veterans lay a wreath in the water off the side of the Lexington Museum on the Bay during a remembrance ceremony on the 74th anniversary of Pearl Harbor Monday. Today, he says he is fortunate.
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“You realized what had happened and you knew that your shipmates were still there and are still there”, said Marquardt.
“When you get together like we did here today, that’s what brings back memories”, says Morris.
Veterans and community officials gathered in Bangor Monday on the 74th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor. It’s a small ceremony that helps this group of strong men remember that day, their military life after and most importantly how they managed to stay strong.
Decades after the day Pearl Harbor was attacked, he’s living alone, but doesn’t spend his days in silence.
“December 7th comes around once every year, a day I just dread”, he said.
A merry and happy day it wasn’t in 1941 when America was attacked by the Imperial Japanese navy at the USA naval base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. “They stopped the motion picture and a military police officer came out and said everybody outside immediately”, World War II Veteran Evan Taylor said. “Almost made me cry for the first time in a long time”, said Westcott. Irwin served as firefighter in San Francisco after the war and retired in as a lieutenant in 1979.
The surprise attacks killed more than 2,000 USA service members and injured many others.
Daniel Martinez, USS Arizona Memorial chief historian, said the ceremony is one of continued reconciliation. He watched his ship sink within minutes. “I put on my uniform and I thought I would volunteer at Pearl Harbor”.
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“I had two uncles in WWII in the Navy and it’s always been something that’s dear to my heart”. And we’re grateful for the stories that they and their fellow service men have left us over the years. It sunk two battleships killing more than 2,400 and injuring over 1,200.
