On August 23, 1994, the United States Congress designated December 7th as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day to honor those who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941—a day President Franklin Roosevelt called “a date that will live in infamy.”
Today, all American flags should be flown at half-staff until sunset to pay tribute to 2,403 Servicemembers and civilians whose lives were cut short on that tragic day.
The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor marked a pivotal point in our world history. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “The Empire of Japan attacked the military installations in and around Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, HI. The 2-hour attack killed 103 civilians and 2,335 military personnel, including 2,008 Navy seamen (1,177 from the USS Arizona alone), 109 Marines, and 218 Army personnel. Japanese pilots and submariners damaged 19 ships and damaged or destroyed more than 300 aircraft. However, as devastating as the attack first appeared, only three ships—the USS Arizona (BB-39), Oklahoma (BB-37), and Utah (AG-16)—were complete losses.”
In the wake of the tragedy, the United States Congress passed a formal declaration of war against Japan, joining our allies on land, sea, and air to defeat the Axis Powers of Japan, Germany, and Italy. Millions of brave men and women—the greatest generation—answered the call to serve, leaving their families to defend freedom, justice, and democracy.
Decades later, our nation came under attack once again when nineteen terrorists associated with al-Qaeda, an Islamist extremist group, hijacked four commercial airplanes on September 11, 2001. The 9/11 attacks killed 2,977 people, resulting in the single largest loss of life from a foreign attack on American soil. In response to the attacks, millions of Americans rose to defend our nation, just as they did after the attacks on Pearl Harbor.
On this day of Remembrance, Homes For Our Troops honors and recognizes the brave men and women who served and sacrificed to defend, protect, and preserve our democracy. Our organization exists to ensure post-9/11 severely injured Veterans receive the care they deserve by providing a specially adapted home with the safety and accessibility they need to rebuild their lives.
We honor and pay tribute to past and present Servicemembers for their dedication, commitment, and bravery.