WHEREAS, on December 7, 1941, just before 8 a.m., without warning or declaration of war, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service waged a fierce attack on Naval Station Pearl Harbor in the territory of Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, seemingly all at once, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes waged war, quickly damaging or destroying nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes; rendering useless dry-docks and airfields; and
WHEREAS, 2,403 Americans were lost that day at Pearl Harbor, including sailors, soldiers, and civilians; and well over 1,000 others were wounded; and
WHEREAS, in response to the devastation, on December 8, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress, urging a declaration of war with Japan, stating “I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.”; and
WHEREAS, Congress swiftly approved President Roosevelt’s call for a declaration of war, effectively thrusting the United States into World War II; and
WHEREAS, by Joint Resolution in August 1994, the United States Senate and House of Representatives established December 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, a day set aside to reflect on the service and sacrifice of all those lost and wounded in the attack on Pearl Harbor; and
WHEREAS, today, 77 years after the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, we stop, with deep gratitude, to reflect on the lives and service of those lost in the attack; we honor their selfless sacrifice, as well as that of their families and loved ones.
NOW THEREFORE, I, Michael J. Dunleavy, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ALASKA, do hereby proclaim December 7, 2018 as:
Pearl Harbor Day
in Alaska, and urge all Alaskans to honor the sacrifice of all who serve our nation in the Armed Forces, defending the freedoms we so cherish, to pause and reflect on the heroism of those lost at Pearl Harbor, and I direct that the Alaska flag be flown at half-staff for the day, to honor their memory.
