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December 9, 2021 - VFW Post 8904 and auxiliary remembered Pearl Harbor Day at Holiday Nursing Center to honor those who served and died at Pearl Harbor when Japanese aircraft attacked just before 8am on Sunday morning, December 7, 1941.
Post Quartermaster Larry Hume addressed everyone, "VFW Post 8904 and its auxiliary are happy to be here today. It's been a while since we've been able to be here." Hume then recognized veterans attending the memorial observance allowing each the opportunity to say their name and which branch of the service they served in.
Hume added, "It's been 80 years ago, 80 years ago a surprise attack was made by the empire Japan at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. How many of us in this room were alive 80 years ago? (only 1 raised their hand). Not many of us were alive."
"More than two thousand people were killed and over eleven hundred were wounded. Six U.S. Battleships were sunk and more than a dozen others were damaged and 300 planes were also destroyed in an attack that lasted just about two hours. Following World War I, twenty-three years later, World War II came along and the United States was again in a world war. On December 10th, three days following Pearl Harbor, Germany declared war on the United States and we were fighting the war on two fronts, in the Pacific and in Europe."
16 million men and women served in World War II. Hume invited Holiday residents and those in attendance to remember a family member they had who served in World War II.
"Franklin Roosevelt said at the time of Pearl Harbor, 'With the undying determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph, so, help us God.'" Hume continued, "When it was over, 400,000 American deaths had occurred and the United States did gain the triumph." The war ended in Europe on May 8, 1945 and victory in the Pacific was September 2, 1945."
Since Taps wasn't able to be played, a moment of silence was observed in remembrance of those lost.
Afterward, VFW members gathered with veterans who were residents of Holiday Nursing Center.
