A Pearl Harbor Day Message from West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance Secretary Thompson

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – December 7, 1941, will forever be an infamous day in the history of this great nation. It was that morning when Japanese forces launched a surprise attack on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu marking America’s entrance into the second World War.

West Virginians, like all Americans of that generation, can recall exactly what they were doing when they first heard of the attack on Pearl Harbor. They also remember, more than seven decades later, the honor and valor with which our armed forces defended our freedoms on that day and during the four years that followed. As the USS West Virginia and her fellow battleships sank into the Pacific Ocean and thousands of American service members, some mortally wounded, fought to protect our soil, our nation was changed forever. And, during this test of America’s strength, countless patriots answered the call to duty.

As the 72nd anniversary of Pearl Harbor approaches, please take a moment to give thanks for the sacrifices made by so many brave men and women during the bloodiest war the world has ever seen. Please honor the memory of the 2,400 Americans who gave their lives at Pearl Harbor and the hundreds of thousands more who were lost throughout World War II, as well as all who served and defended our country during this important time in our nation’s history.