[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 131, 115th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
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 patri

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ots 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.
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.
DONALD J. TRUMP