[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