The survivors also told young service men and women to always remember pearl harbor and the courage, faith and strength of the individuals who not only died on that day, but those who survived.
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“When they bombed Pearl Harbor I mean it was a bad thing because it was a sneak attack”, he said.
The surprising military strike was made by Japan against the United States in Hawaii killing more than 2,400 people and injuring upwards of 1,000, which then brought the US into World War II.
The USS Pennsylvania was in the harbor at the time of the attack and was one of the first ships to open retaliatory fire as enemy dive and torpedo bombers roared down from the sky.
“Pearl Harbor was, I don’t know”, says Reverend Clark.
“(The Japanese pilots) had their canopies open and you could see the grin on their face.
It’s 74 years later, but Elmer Luckett will never forget where he was December 7th 1941.
Following the ceremony, there was a laying of the wreath hosted by different veterans groups in conjunction with Wreaths Across America.
“It’s very very touching today and throwing the wreath…in memory of their loved one was very very touching”, says Hamilton.
Nicholson has written a book called “Pearl Harbor Child”. Patriots Point held a memorial service Monday with the Mt. Pleasant Veterans of Foreign Wars on the USS Yorktown. Germany and Italy declared war on the USA a few days later.
“Pearl Harbor isn’t just something that happened a long time ago”, said Nanos. More than 40 military members who went to school in Davenport have been killed in the line of duty.
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Two survivors of the Japanese attack and some other US veterans, including Frank Levingston, 110, reportedly the oldest USA living World War II veteran, attended the ceremony.
