FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7: A “date that will live in infamy” occurred 71 years ago today—the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, on Dec. 7, 1941—but the story of that day continues to unfold. Aside from the ongoing flow of documentaries, the Washington Post ran a never-before-published account just days ago, written by a fledgling Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporter. After more than seven decades, Elizabeth P. McIntosh—now 97—finally saw her story in print, which editors found to be too graphic for readers at the time.
Memorials will be held across the country today, while soldiers, veterans and visitors alike recall the dedication of the USS Arizona in 1962.
In the morning hours of Dec. 7, 1941, America’s naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i, was attacked by the Empire of Japan. (The U.S. Navy provides an overview with photos.) In the surprise attack, more than 2,400 Americans were killed and 1,100 wounded; four U.S. Navy battleships were destroyed and sank, while more equipment was destroyed. The day following the attack, the United States officially entered World War II and declared war on Japan. (Wikipedia has details.)