Now, as Superintendent Ashwell mentioned in her remarks, we are sadly losing a number of these heroes.Īmong many others, we lost Ray Emory in August, and over the Thanksgiving holiday, at 106 years young, we lost Ray Chavez.Īnd just a week ago today, we lost another member of the Greatest Generation with the passing of President George Herbert Walker Bush.Īs you all saw during the eulogies over the past week, President Bush embodied the unconquerable spirit of his generation, and as a Navy Pilot and World War Two Veteran, he shared a special bond with Pearl Harbor survivors. They understood the importance of what they were fighting for, and in the words of Herb Weatherwax, as mentioned earlier, “We served willingly, we fought willingly, and we died willingly.” The unconquerable spirit of the heroes of the Greatest Generation enabled them to rise to the occasion. The heavy loss of life served as a reminder that, although the Allies were making progress and shaping the future of the war, it would come at a significant human cost. The Battle for Tarawa saw some of the fiercest fighting of the war to date, with nearly 6,400 Japanese, Koreans, and Americans killed in just three days of fighting. In November of that year, our Marines, supported by Naval gunfire support and air support, won the first contested amphibious landing in the Pacific on the Tarawa atoll.įacing an entrenched and determined Japanese defense, the Marines fought valiantly over three days and secured the strategic airfield. Though the tide of the war was indeed changing in 1943, the price to be paid remained steep. Meanwhile, planning began for the eventual landing of Allied forces in Western Europe. On the other side of the world, in North Africa, Rommel was forced to retreat, and the Allies began their push up through Italy, causing the Italians to drop out of the war. In June, Japanese forces left the Aleutian Islands, their last foothold in the Western hemisphere, and the Allies began to move through the central and southwest Pacific. and our Allies their first major offensive victory in the Pacific and a stop to Japanese expansionism. The tide of the war started to change in 1943, with the fight to secure Guadalcanal ending in February, giving the U.S. It was these qualities, the resilience and determination, that helped shape this country’s, and indeed the entire world’s, future. He went on to say “First in the importance in the American scene has been the inspiring proof of the great qualities of our fighting men.” “The past year was perhaps the most crucial for modern civilization the coming year will be filled with violent conflicts- yet with high promise of better things.” Just over a year after the attack on Pearl Harbor, in his 1943 State of the Union speech, President Franklin Roosevelt spoke of the challenges that remained, saying: We quickly prepared for the long hard war to come. We can never forget the heavy price paid 77 years ago… 21 vessels damaged or sunk, 170 planes destroyed, more than 2,400 dead and 1,200 wounded - Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and civilians.ĭespite these heavy losses, it did not break the American spirit – in fact it charged it. For those of us that live here, serve here, I will tell you we think of this day, every day. December 7th.on these hallowed grounds.įor the many, the date is the reminder. It is truly an honor to be speaking to all of you today. Most importantly, a special welcome to the ‘Greatest Generation,’ our World War Two veterans and Pearl Harbor survivors, to whom we owe an immeasurable debt for your heroic actions. Welcome and thank you for your attendance today. Esteemed members of our consular and diplomatic corps.State and city leaders … Governor Ige … Mayors Caldwell and Isoda.There are a number of distinguished guests here today, but in the interest of time I won’t try to acknowledge everyone, but I do want to take just a moment to recognize a few honored attendees … Thank you, Brian, for the introduction and for your leadership and stewardship of this historic place and thank you Superintendent Ashwell for your remarks this morning. National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Commemoration “Forging the Future - The Unconquerable Spirit of America in 1943”
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