Intrepid Museum commemorates 84th anniversary of Pearl Harbor
NEW YORK - Families of Pearl Harbor survivors came together at the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan to commemorate the 84th anniversary of the attack that led the United States into World War II on Dec. 7, 1941.
Annual ceremony honors Pearl Harbor survivors
What we know:
The ceremony took place on the hangar deck of the Intrepid Museum, paying tribute to those who served during the Pearl Harbor attack.
Susan Marenoff-Zausner, the museum's president, emphasized the importance of continuing the tradition for as long as families wish to gather at Sunday's event.
Family members have been attending this ceremony every year, as fewer and fewer firsthand voices are left.
Preserving memories of those who served
What they're saying:
Michael Galella, whose father was a Pearl Harbor survivor, shared the significance of his father's cap.
"This is my dad’s Pearl Harbor survivors' cap," he said. "In 1980 there were fourteen thousand members…right now there’s only fourteen remaining as Pearl Harbor survivors," he said.
William Simmons, the son of a Pearl Harbor veteran, stressed the importance of honoring history.
"There’s a history where if you don’t honor, you forget. And the same with the service members and the veterans – we do not forget," he said.
Family members expressed their commitment to returning each year, not just to honor those who served, but to ensure their courage is never lost to time.
The Source: Information from the Intrepid Museum ceremony and interviews with family members.