    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 133, 116th Congress, 1st Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    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,

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    North Africa, and the South Pacific. Their incredible heroism,
    dedication to duty, and love of country 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.
    DONALD J. TRUMP