Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011 marks the 70th Anniversary of the Attacks on Pearl Harbor. The 1941 Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor was a defining moment in U.S. history.
The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association and Fort Snelling National Cemetery Memorial Rifle Squad will host a remembrance ceremony at 10 a.m. Dec. 7 to honor those who served, and remember those who gave their lives in the defense of Pearl Harbor. The event will include a rifle salute, and brief program, including remarks by Pearl Harbor survivor Richard Thill.
Minnesotans have had a proud history of service related to Pearl Harbor. Naval Reservists from Minnesota, serving aboard the USS Ward, were conducting a patrol near the entrance to Pearl Harbor. They sank a Japanese midget submarine, thus firing the first American shots of WWII. The number three gun, which fired the shot, sits on the Capitol Grounds near the west side of the Veterans Service Building in St. Paul.
The program begins at 10am and refreshments will be served. It will be held at the Veterans Service Building, 5th Floor, 20 W. 12th Street, St. Paul, MN.
In addition to this event, The 70 Years Project (70years.org) and MN Historical Society are hosting a program at the Minnesota History Center at 7 p.m. Dec.7. For more information visit www.minnesotahistorycenter.org/firstshot.
