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Contact: Stephanie Loeb, 215-268-2614
HONOLULU – On Thursday, December 7, the National Park Service and the United States Navy will host the 76th Anniversary National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Commemoration Ceremony to honor and remember the 2,390 American casualties lost during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and on the island of Oahu, December 7, 1941.
The ceremony will begin at 7:50 a.m. and take place on the Ceremonial Lawn at World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. Pearl Harbor survivors, WWII veterans, family members, and local dignitaries will be in attendance. Steve Twomey, author of Countdown to Pearl Harbor, will deliver the keynote.
A moment of silence will be observed at 7:55 a.m., the exact moment the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor began. A missing man flyover conducted by the 199th Fighter Squadron Hawaii Air National Guard and the 19th Fighter Squadron, US Air Force will follow.
“We are honored to welcome survivors, veterans, and witnesses to this year’s ceremony,” said World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument Superintendent Jacqueline Ashwell. “As we gather together on December 7, we remember, honor, and seek to understand the events that took place 76 years ago.”
The theme, “Rising to the Challenge,” highlights events during the first year after the attack, 75 years ago, as the United States rose to face challenges – both at war and on the home front – in order to achieve greater peace, freedom, and democracy in the world, including in Japan and in Europe.
According to Rear Admiral Brian Fort, Commander, Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, “On this December 7, we will once again remember and honor those who were killed 76 years ago and in the war that followed. At the same time, we will commemorate the reconciliation, security, stability and prosperity our veterans and their families achieved, beginning here at Pearl Harbor.”
Highlights of the ceremony will also include music by the Navy’s Pacific Fleet Band, a Hawaiian blessing, wreath presentations, a rifle salute by the US Marine Corps, a vintage aircraft flyover, and echo taps in recognition of the men and women who survived the attack and those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country on December 7, 1941.
Watch the Ceremony Live
The morning ceremony will be live streamed on the monument’s YouTube and Facebook accounts, as well as on pearlharborevents.com. All other major ceremonies during the week of December 7 will be recorded and shared on these platforms.
If You Go
Arrival and Parking
Members of the general public are required to park at Aloha Stadium and board shuttle buses to the ceremony. Shuttle space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Details about parking and shuttling can be found at pearlharborevents.com.
Seating for the ceremony is limited and preference will be given to those with ADA needs. Additional seating will be available in the theater, where a live broadcast of the ceremony will be shown.
Tickets to the Arizona Memorial
USS Arizona Memorial programs will run from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning at 6:00 a.m. No reserved tickets will be available.
Bag Policy
Visitors are not allowed to bring items that offer concealment on shuttle buses or inside World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. Such items include purses, handbags, fanny packs, backpacks, camera bags, diaper bags, luggage, etc. Visitors may bring wheelchairs, strollers, walkers, canes, umbrellas, jackets, sweaters, small wallets, medication, small cameras and camcorders, cell phones, and small sealable beverage containers. All items brought into the monument are subject to inspection.
The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park has a baggage storage facility near the entrance to the visitor center. Bag storage will be available for free from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., after that, storage is available for a nominal fee.
Additional information on the monument’s bag policy is available at nps.gov/valr.
Attire
This event will take place rain or shine on the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center’s Ceremonial Lawn, please wear appropriate footwear. In case of extreme weather conditions, updates will be posted on this website prior to the event.
For more information about the National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day 76th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony, and details on the full schedule of events (December 2 -10), please visit pearlharborevents.com.
About World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument
World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, Pearl Harbor and its partners preserve, interpret, and commemorate the history of World War II in the Pacific from the events leading to the December 7, 1941, attack on Oahu, to peace and reconciliation. For more information about the national monument, please visit nps.gov/valr.
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Last updated: December 4, 2017