U.S. Congressman Fred Upton

Washington, Dec 6 -

By Rep. Fred Upton -

“Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan,” began President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his now-famous December 8th address to the nation.  Now 71 years after the attack on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, we not only remember the tragic loss of American lives that occurred that fateful morning but the subsequent acts of selfless heroism that would soon define America’s Greatest Generation.
 
This Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we honor the more than 3,500 American soldiers and civilians who were killed or wounded in that deadly attack against our nation.  Those brave men and women were in the prime of their youth, putting their personal lives on hold to serve the country that needed them.  While their loss sent a painful shock throughout the nation, their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.
 
Rather than crushing our spirits, that horrific tragedy united our nation and reinforced our resolve to defend freedom, liberty, and democracy from the iron boot of authoritarianism.  Days after the attack, our nation was fully embroiled in World War II in both the Pacific and European theaters.
 
With so much at stake, an entire generation of Americans rose up after that ‘Day of Infamy’ to meet the monumental challenges at hand.  In the ensuing years, millions of America’s finest would answer the call to serve in the Armed Forces and countless others would support the war effort from here at home.  Hundreds of thousands would not return home from the battlefield.
 
Were it not for those courageous service members, our world would be a much different place today.  We are forever grateful for those of the Greatest Generation, who defended our freedoms in the face of overwhelming adversity and preserved democracy for us all.