[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 12, 2017)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 58531-58532]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-26948]



[[Page 58529]]

Vol. 82

Tuesday,

No. 237

December 12, 2017

Part III





The President





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Proclamation 9684--National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2017
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  Federal Register / Vol. 82 , No. 237 / Tuesday, December 12, 2017 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 58531]]

                Proclamation 9684 of December 7, 2017

                
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2017

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we honor 
                those who perished in defense of our homeland and the 
                veterans who selflessly answered the call to freedom 
                during World War II. In our Nation's history, few 
                events have been as pivotal as the ``date which will 
                live in infamy.''

                Seventy-six years ago today, on the morning of December 
                7, 1941, Japanese air and naval forces carried out an 
                unprovoked surprise attack on American military 
                installations in Oahu, Hawaii. Horrific sounds of war 
                shattered that peaceful Sunday morning, and our Nation 
                was forever changed. More than 2,400 Americans lost 
                their lives, and more than 1,000 service members and 
                civilians were wounded in the attack. This horrific act 
                of aggression galvanized the Nation and propelled us 
                into World War II. Americans would not awaken to 
                another peaceful dawn for nearly 4 long years.

                In our darkest hours, the greatness of America emerged. 
                Throughout the long and difficult war, our citizens 
                remained courageous and resilient. Thousands answered 
                the call to arms, left family and loved ones behind, 
                and embarked on long and onerous journeys to fight 
                America's enemies abroad. On the home front, American 
                industry, ingenuity, and innovation increased our 
                warfighting capacity and helped turn the tide in both 
                the Atlantic and the Pacific theaters. The war effort 
                motivated soldier and civilian alike. Families and 
                communities came together, sacrificing personal comfort 
                and prosperity for the greater good. Our country also 
                solidified partnerships with like-minded nations 
                committed to the promise of freedom. The spirit and 
                soul of our Nation were tested in the fires of 
                adversity, and we emerged even more determined, 
                confident, and resolute.

                The USS Arizona Memorial in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a 
                sacred resting place for many of the ship's 1,177 
                sailors and Marines who perished on that fateful 
                December morning. Even though these American patriots 
                are entombed in a watery grave within the sunken hull 
                of a battleship, their names are etched into the marble 
                wall in the structure above. Just last month the First 
                Lady and I had the distinct honor of visiting this 
                hallowed site to pay our respects to the American 
                heroes that were taken from us on that infamous day. 
                The rusted wreckage is a haunting and sober reminder of 
                the sacrifice of these heroes and their families, while 
                the iconic, striking white memorial stands as a somber 
                reminder of what we lost and also what we must fight to 
                preserve.

                Today, a new generation of brave men and women in 
                uniform stand ready to oppose any threat to our Nation 
                and the civilized world. Though the decades have 
                passed, we are careful to never forget the lessons of 
                Pearl Harbor. Our Armed Forces must be strong and 
                vigilant, prepared to fight and preserve all we hold 
                dear. It is our greatest obligation--our most solemn 
                duty--to ensure our Nation remains the land of the free 
                and the home of the brave. The day after the attack on 
                Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt told the 
                Congress that ``With confidence in our Armed Forces--
                with the unbounding determination of our people--we 
                will gain the inevitable triumph.'' That confidence and 
                determination is undiminished today as we combat the 
                ever-changing threats to freedom.

[[Page 58532]]

                On this National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we pray 
                for all who died on the island of Oahu that dreadful 
                Sunday morning, and for those who perished around the 
                world in the battles of World War II. May we never 
                forget their bravery, their selflessness, and their 
                sacrifice for the noble causes of liberty and peace.

                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, 2017, 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 
                seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand seventeen, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                second.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2017-26948
Filed 12-11-17; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F8-P