The damage that closed the site to visitors occurred when tugboats were “assisting” the USNS Mercy, an 894-foot-long hospital ship, navigate the harbor, the U.S. Navy Region Hawaii said in a Facebook post.
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Over the years, Walker says he’s misplaced his military memorabilia, but served in the US army air corp.
COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES A veteran salutes the US flag during a remembrance ceremony on the 74th anniversary of Pearl Harbor on the Lexington Museum on the Bay Monday.
As of two years ago some 2,000 to 2,500 Pearl Harbor survivors were believed to be still alive, according to Eileen Martinez, chief of interpretation for the USS Arizona Memorial. “Otherwise, we may not be here today”, said Nuckolls.
As pastors read the names of the Pearl Harbor survivors who have since died, a bell was rung each time a name was called.
After laying a wreath in front of the wall of stars, one of the survivor said, “I am honored to be here, to be the luckiest one here”.
Service members carry ceremonial wreaths to be presented to the entombed crew of the USS Utah during the USS Utah Memorial sunset tribute at Ford Island, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Dec. 6, 2015.
“All of the whites, they could do anything they wanted to on the ship”, Mitchell said in the KTAR story.
Monday’s ceremony on the Iowa in San Pedro featured Navy veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor Howard Bender, who was on board the USS Maryland that day. He says they were all killed. “I just see the scene all over again”, he said. But he comes to the annual ceremony because the attack was a “big thing in my life”.
Ms Tauyan said everyone came together to honor and remember the war dead and those who survived the attack.
At 97 Gunter still has total recall of numerous events of the war but he is concerned that few people remember it now.
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Now, with the very youngest among them in their early 90s, they have outlived virtually their entire generation, but some who attended Monday’s commemoration ceremonies were already vowing not to miss next year’s milestone 75th anniversary.
