Dozens gather on Pearl Harbor anniversary to honor those who were

“It’s just an honor for me to remember my father like this and all the veterans that defend our nation”, Dorris said.

“I’m here today in his honor”, he said. “I felt the blast – I didn’t know what it was, but it proved to be the Arizona blowing up”.

Local Pearl Harbor survivors and the community continue to honor those who lost their lives. The group has a goal of putting wreaths on all 900,000 U.S. Military graves around the world including 33,000 in Utah.

Army veteran Dale Robinson, 93, remembers the attack on Pearl Harbor vividly.

PEARL HARBOR (Dec. 5, 2015) Nelson Mitchell, the oldest living African-American Pearl Harbor survivor, reflects in the shrine room of the USS Arizona Memorial during a Pearl Harbor Survivor/ World War II, Family and Friends Harbor Tour at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. It remains a gravesite for many of those killed.

Close to 100 people gathered in Oklahoma City near NW 13 Street and Broadway around an anchor from the USS Oklahoma to remember the “day which will live in infamy”, 74 years later.

‘More than 2,400 sailors, Marines, and soldiers were killed at Pearl Harbor and other military installations on the island of Oahu. That Air Force he saw coming was actually the Japanese. “I can say God bless them for what they have done”, Raffety said.

“I feel we’ve accomplished our mission”, she said.

Decades later, Hedley, now 94 years-old is among the heroes gathering to remember their fellow servicemen who didn’t make it on that day, December 7 1941.

The 70th anniversary of the end of World War II is being marked throughout this year.

“Every two or three days I think of something that happened to me or something to my buddies”, Sanders said. Dr. Hiroya Saguno has been conducting this act of reconciliation with the National Park Service at the USS Arizona Memorial for the last 20 years.

“I had two uncles in WWII in the Navy and it’s always been something that’s dear to my heart”.