Survivors of Pearl Harbor Memorial Service Absent This Year

None of the remaining U.S. service members who survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, could make it to the memorial service held in Hawaii this past Sunday.

All 12 of the surviving heroes are over 100 years old. Interestingly, two of them attended the ceremony last year, but this time, things were different.

For example, 105-year-old Ira “Ike” Shabb had to cancel his plans to attend due to health issues. His daughter, Kimberly Heinrichs, expressed her disappointment, noting that it was painful to realize none of the survivors were present this year. “The idea that for the first time there were no survivors there, it just, I don’t know, hurt me in a way that words can’t describe,” she shared.

This memorial marked the 84th anniversary of the attack. The theme for this year’s service was “Building a path to peace,” which reflects an ongoing commitment to remembrance.

The ceremony has typically seen survivors in attendance each year, with the exception of 2020, when COVID-19 precautions kept the public away. It’s reported that around 2,000 survivors gathered for the 50th anniversary celebration in 1991.

A former National Park Service historian, Daniel Martinez, compared this situation to the early 20th century, as the numbers began to dwindle for Civil War veterans. He noted a growing awareness that stories from battles like Gettysburg were becoming harder to find. Martinez himself recorded oral histories of Pearl Harbor survivors, and the Park Service continues to conduct many interviews, mostly on video.

On that fateful day in 1941, the Japanese military’s assault on a U.S. naval base resulted in significant damage. About 20 Navy ships and around 300 aircraft were impacted. Tragically, more than 2,400 Americans lost their lives, and over 1,000 were injured during the attack. The day after, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called on Congress to declare war on Japan.

At the memorial event, Pearl Harbor Memorial Director Tom Leatherman emphasized the importance of preserving the story of Pearl Harbor, urging everyone to “redouble our efforts to ensure that the story of Pearl Harbor is not lost to time.”