Next year, on the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, large crowds are expected for ceremonies in Hawaii. The same can be said for many commemorative ceremonies planned in various parts of the mainland.
But many veterans of the long conflict that followed that attack won’t be around to see it. World War II veterans are dying at a rate of about 492 per day, according to the Veterans Administration. Once numbering more than 16 million, they now number about 800,000.
Americans cannot wait any longer to express thanks for their sacrifice. More importantly, this generation of Americans must assure those who endured the ravages of war that what they did never will be forgotten.
Honor Flights, in which veterans are transported to Washington to visit the World War II Memorial and other sites, have accomplished much in this regard. Anyone who has witnessed these aging veterans as they approach the memorial, and the spontaneous, heartfelt applause they receive wherever they go, cannot help but be touched by a sense of gratitude and an inner, gnawing inquiry as to what Americans today are doing to protect freedom.
Pearl Harbor isn’t so much a symbol of this nation’s greatness. America was caught unprepared and by surprise by Japanese airstrikes. Instead, it is a symbol of the tremendous sacrifice necessary for freedom. It is a symbol of the resolve that ensued, the nation’s uniting behind the grim task of destroying the ambitious forces of tyranny in Asia and Europe, and the subsequent rebuilding of belligerent nations into allies with free governments, which speaks volumes about the American character.
That is why the nation must never forget what happened at Pearl Harbor. Freedom never is won once and for all. It must be protected and defended by each generation. And the American character that lends a hand to conquered foes, so rare in the history of the world, must never fall victim to the destructive urges of hate and revenge, or the desire to occupy and control.
We see many reasons today for optimism in this regard. Americans, more obsessed with sports today than ever before, were expected to watch over the weekend as Fox Sports broadcast from the deck of the Battleship Missouri Memorial, where Gen. Douglas MacArthur accepted the unconditional surrender of Japan in 1945. Sports may seem an inappropriate fit for such a solemn occasion, but it is a perfect way to reach millions of Americans who otherwise would be too absorbed with games and scores.
Meanwhile, other events around the country indicate people have not forgotten. The Berman Museum of World History in Alabama will unveil a small piece of the USS Arizona it has added to its collection. Near Boston, a Purple Heart, awarded in 1946, will be presented to the family of John Russell Johnson, a Massachusetts native who died on that ship. The medal had been misplaced for years at a local VFW post.
Americans remember today in part because we have so many physical reminders of that day 74 years ago. They must continue to remember many years from now, when those reminders are no longer so evident, because freedom will be no less precious.