December 7, 2005
Media contact: Jeff Schrade (202)224-9093

Sixty-four years ago today, America suffered a surprise attack at Pearl Harbor. Today we honor those who gave their lives and thank those who were there then.

Prior to that stunning event, there were many in the United States who rejected any attempts to bring our nation into another war in Europe. Our troops had fought, bled and died there just over twenty years earlier, and many Americans saw no need to involve ourselves once again.

December 7, 1941, changed that in an instant.

At 6:00 a.m. local Hawaiian time, six Japanese carriers launched the first wave of torpedo bombers, dive bombers, and attack fighter aircraft. Then the first bombs exploded at 7:55. The second attack wave aircraft struck just before 9 a.m.

By 10 o'clock it was all over.

Thousands were dead. The United States was stunned. Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is reported to have said, "I fear that we have awakened a sleeping giant."

From the roof of a Honolulu office, a radio reporter for NBC described the significant aftermath live to the nation. "The city of Honolulu has also been attacked and considerable damage done. This battle has been going on for nearly three hours. One of the bombs dropped within fifty feet of KTU tower. It is no joke. It is a real war." (Audio is available at: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5167)  

Some of those who were there that day were from my state, the great state of Idaho. To honor their service, several years ago the state legislature approved the creation of a special "Pearl Harbor Survivor" license plate. Sadly, those plates are becoming more and more of a rare commodity. According to the Idaho Department of Transportation, 76 people had Pearl Harbor Survivor plates on their cars in 2001. Today the number is closer to fifty.

Those survivors are part of what we now know as "The Greatest Generation." They are a generation for whom the words duty, honor, God, country, family, and loyalty had a special meaning.

They are a generation for whom we all give thanks. But I am proud to report that after visiting with our young men and women in Iraq, we have a new generation of young Americans who are living up to the high bar established by their grandparents and great-grandparents.

For them, however, another date lives in infamy: September 11, 2001. Let us all hope that date becomes the last date we memorialize for a stunning attack on this once sleeping giant.

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