National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2019
Citation | 84 FR 67657 |
Record Number | 2019-26779 |
Published date | 11 December 2019 |
Section | Presidential Documents |
Court | Executive Office Of The President |
Federal Register, Volume 84 Issue 238 (Wednesday, December 11, 2019)
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 11, 2019)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 67657-67658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26779] Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 84 , No. 238 / Wednesday, December 11, 2019 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 67657]]
Proclamation 9971 of December 6, 2019
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2019
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Seventy-eight years ago today, the course of our
Nation's history was forever altered by the surprise
attack at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Hawaii. On National
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we solemnly remember the
tragic events of that morning and honor those who
perished in defense of our Nation that day and in the
ensuing 4 years of war.
Just before 8 a.m. on December 7, 1941, airplanes
launched from the Empire of Japan's aircraft carriers
dropped bombs and torpedoes from the sky, attacking our
ships moored at Naval Station Pearl Harbor and other
military assets around Oahu. Following this swift
assault, the United States Pacific Fleet and most of
the Army and Marine airfields on the island were left
decimated. Most tragically, 2,335 American service
members and 68 civilians were killed, marking that
fateful day as one of the deadliest in our Nation's
history.
Despite the shock of the attack, American service
members at Pearl Harbor fought back with extraordinary
courage and resilience. Sprinting through a hailstorm
of lead, pilots rushed to the few remaining planes and
took to the skies to fend off the incoming Japanese
attackers. Soldiers on the ground fired nearly 300,000
rounds of ammunition and fearlessly rushed to the aid
of their wounded brothers in arms. As a solemn
testament to the heroism that abounded that day, 15
American servicemen were awarded the Medal of Honor--10
of which were awarded posthumously. In one remarkable
act of bravery, Doris ``Dorie'' Miller, a steward
aboard the USS West Virginia, manned a machine gun and
successfully shot down multiple Japanese aircraft
despite not having been trained to use the weapon. For
his valor, Miller was awarded the Navy Cross and was
the first African-American recognized with this honor.
In the wake of this heinous attack, the United States
was left stunned and wounded. Yet the dauntless resolve
of the American people remained unwavering and
unbreakable. In his address to the Congress the
following day, broadcast to the Nation over radio,
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt assured us that
``[w]ith confidence in our armed forces, with the
unbounding determination of our people, we will gain
the inevitable triumph.'' In the days, months, and
years that followed, the full might of the American
people, industry, and military was brought to bear on
our enemies. Across the Atlantic and Pacific, 16
million American servicemen and women fought to
victory, making the world safe for freedom and
democracy once again. More than 400,000 of these brave
men and women never returned home, giving their last
full measure of devotion for our Nation.
While nearly eight decades have passed since the last
sounds of battle rang out over Pearl Harbor, we will
never forget the immeasurable sacrifices these
courageous men and women made so that we may live today
in peace and prosperity. We continue to be inspired by
the proud legacy left by the brave patriots of the
Greatest Generation who served in every capacity during
World War II, from keeping factories operating on the
home front to fighting on the battlefields in Europe,
North Africa, and the South Pacific. Their incredible
heroism, dedication to duty, and love of country
[[Page 67658]]
continue to embolden our drive to create a better world
and galvanize freedom-loving people everywhere under a
common cause. On this day, we resolve forever to keep
the memory of the heroes of Pearl Harbor alive as a
testament to the tremendous sacrifices they made in
defense of freedom and all that we hold dear.
The Congress, by Public Law 103-308, as amended, has
designated December 7 of each year as ``National Pearl
Harbor Remembrance Day.''
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim December
7, 2019, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I
encourage all Americans to observe this solemn day of
remembrance and to honor our military, past and
present, with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I
urge all Federal agencies and interested organizations,
groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United
States at half-staff in honor of those American
patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl
Harbor.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord two
thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
fourth.
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. 2019-26779
Filed 12-10-19; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F0-P